New Rules: The 1st Hunger Games
by curiousclove
Summary: (An SYOT). With the loss of her beloved father, President Felicity Regis wants revenge on the districts. How will they react when they are forced into the Hunger Games?
1. Prologue

Chapter 1: A New Beginning

* * *

 **Felicity Regis, 19**

 **President of Panem**

I never expected to be in this position.

I don't think anyone expected me to be where I am either. Nevertheless, I, Felicity Regis, am now the leader of this new nation. Though I may only be nineteen years old, I believe I am ready. It wasn't like I had a choice anyways. Though I've always had an interest in politics, I never had any intentions of making it my career. I hadn't figured out exactly what I wanted to pursue yet, but I knew I wanted to do something revolutionary. Though it isn't ideal, being the first president of Panem easily qualifies that. This rebellion has been going on since before I was born, but we have now reached a time of peace. It is my intention to keep it that way.

After what seems like eternity, we have defeated the put up a good fight, but I always knew we in the Capitol would come out on top. We had technology on our side, and it has become more advanced than any society before us. Our new nation will be like a healthy body - each district is an organ, assisting us in continuing to have a strong nation, while we are the heart that keeps everything going. In order to maintain peace and prosperity, each district has been assigned a certain industry, which will be theirs forever.

In the Capitol, we will be living in luxury, while in the districts, things won't be so easy. In one of the invasions from the districts, my father, the general on the side of the Capitol, was killed. He was the only person I every truly loved. My mother left us when I was three, I haven't seen or heard from her since. Now that my father is gone, I have no one. Some people here in the Capitol hate the districts just because, but I believe that when a group of people kill the one person that cares about you, that is a valid enough reason to hate said group. Being the stubborn girl that I am, there is nothing that could make me change my mind.

This was supposed to be my father's job, which made me next in line. He was loved by many, and would've been a wonderful leader. When I was told the job was mine, I felt a sense of satisfaction. My father wasn't finished when he left this world, and I was about to continue his work for him. I will most likely be the youngest leader for generations, but as a child, I was told that I was wise beyond my years. I've always been mature, and running a country would not be easy, but I am ready.

Karma has never felt any more real than it does right now. The most rebellious district, District Thirteen, has been completely destroyed. Twelve, Eleven, Ten, all those containing the most rebels, are the most poverty stricken, while One and Two, rebellious but only to an extent, are in far better conditions than some of the others. The more rebellious districts will have to work harder for longer hours to make up for the hours spent fighting against us. The hours they spent plotting to kill my father will be hours they have to live down for the rest of their lives.

Though this sounds sick, the thought of them suffering makes me smile. No one will ever know the pain I went through when I lost my father until they lose someone they love themselves. That was when I came up with my idea, on how to make the districts suffer for the rest of Panem's existence. Parents will lose their children, and friendships will be broken. Each district will lose one boy and one girl each year, except for one. This way, they will be able to hold on to their sad little hope, only to have it most likely be crushed.

I sent my announcement out to the districts, ready for all hell to break loose.

 _In penance for their uprising, each district shall offer up a male and a female between the ages of 12 and 18 at a public "reaping". These tributes shall be delivered to the custody of the Capitol. And then transferred into a public arena, where they will fight to the death until a lone victor remains. Henceforth and forevermore this pageant shall be known as "The Hunger Games."_

How does is feel to lose someone now?

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hello everyone! I am happy to inform you all that I'm back and more motivated to write than ever! This prologue is the same one that I used for my last attempt at a SYOT, however this story will include a slu of new characters. I won't be using any of the characters from my SYOT in June/July, but feel free to submit new ones! I have found my passion for writing once again and could not be more excited to get this SYOT underway! I'm placing the form here just as something to think about but you can also find it on my profile!**

Name: (I prefer district related names)

Age:(12-18)

District: (1-12)

Gender:

Personality: (please give at least 3 traits)

Backstory: (at least 3 sentences)

Appearance: (at least hair color, eye color, height, and weight)

Family:

Friends:

Strengths: (please give at least 3)

Weaknesses: (please give at least 3)

-At the Reaping-

Reaped or Volunteered: (remember, it's the first games)

Reaped Reaction/Volunteering Reason:

Reaping Scene: (what were they doing before the Reaping?)

Reaping Outfit: (optional, I may not mention them so you don't have to either)

-Goodbyes and Train Rides-

District Token: (optional, I may not mention it so you don't have to either)

Tribute's Assessment of Their Own Survival:

Who Comes to Visit Them: (please list all visitors with name, age, and how they act during the goodbye)

Actions Towards District Partner/Escort:

-In the Capitol-

Chariot Ride Costume Idea: (optional, I may use your district partner's)

Stations They Visit During Training: (training is 3 days long)

Estimated Training Score:(1-12, 1 being worst and 12 being best)

Interview Outfit: (optional, I may not mention it so you don't have to either)

Interview Angle:

Yes or No to Career Pack: (up to 8 members, remember it's the first hunger games so outer districts could possibly be more welcome)

If No, Allies: (None; Small Group 1-2; Medium Group 3-4; Large Group 5)

Ideal Alliance Description:

-In the Arena-

Do they die in the Bloodbath:

Do they Go Into the Bloodbath:

If Yes, Bloodbath Strategy:

If Your Not in the Career Pack, After the Bloodbath, Where do you go?: (a direction - ex. North or southeast)

Arena Strategy:

Do You Go to the Feast:

What do you Do at the Finale:

Predicted Placement: (how far do you THINK they will go)

Preferred Placement: (how far do you WANT them to go)

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	2. District 3 Reaping

Chapter 2: A Complex Creation

* * *

 **Della Akuna, 15**

 **District Three Female**

I don't understand how someone could think this was a good idea.

And I can't fathom why my father would help make this idea a reality. This evening, after the Reaping, he will be making the trip to the Capitol in order to help them with the Hunger Games. He was hired to help them figure out the technological aspects of how to create an arena, and he's been working for weeks on this. During the rebellion, my parents supported the Capitol, just as a good amount of people in Three did. And when they were looking for some of the greatest minds in Panem, despite their hatred of us, they came to our district to ask for our help. My father volunteered and we've been living luxuriously ever since. But I can't stand the fact that he's helping them kill innocent children. I think the whole thing is completely insane.

Despite wishing that my father had any other job but this, today and today only I am thankful. I don't think the Capitol would send the daughter of a gamemaker into the games. It wouldn't make sense. The Capitol is completely exempt from this whole thing and my father works directly with them. Even after all of his work, if I were to be picked for this death pageant, I'd be extremely angry. They've already made my father assist them, so they can't just make me risk my life too. That would be ridiculous. Overall, going into today I feel fairly safe, but the thought of having to fight for my life freaks me out.

I look in the mirror and admire my beautiful lilac dress. It's fancy, probably nicer than what some of the other children will be wearing. We're somewhat well-off compared to most of the families in District Three, and I suppose I have my father to thank for our wealth, even if I disapprove of the way he earned it. I step into shoes that match my outfit and place my black hair behind my ears. I find some mascara that I wear on special occasions and elongate my eyelashes, showing off my dark eyes. I hear a knock at my door and I open it as my sister Maeve offers me a kind smile.

"Hey Della, can you zip me up?" She turns around as her beige dress spins, and I do as she asked me to. She's too old to be Reaped today, she turned twenty-two a few weeks ago.

"I like this dress. Is it new?" I ask her. I have a pretty good memory and I've never seen this one before.

"Yeah, I just bought it. And don't worry about today at all. There's so many girls in District Three, there's no way that it's going to be your name pulled out of the bowl. There's hundreds, maybe even thousands of names-" she always rambles when she's nervous.

"I'll be fine, Maeve. Stop freaking out," I say as I interrupt my sister. I've always understood her well. We head downstairs to and eat a quick breakfast with my parents. They've always been the early risers of the family. On days I don't have school, I usually wake up after eleven.

"You're leaving for the Capitol today, right Dad?" Maeve asks.

"Yes I am, two hours after the Reaping," he responds to her. I'm still shocked that he's really going through with this. My own father, helping orchestrate the deaths of twenty-three children. How could he?

"What's the arena going to be like?" I ask my father, my eyes not moving from my breakfast.

"I'm afraid that's classified information, sweetheart," I sigh, trying not to snap at him on Reaping Day.

"Oh can't you tell us? I'm sure you're working on something very creative," Mom responds to him.

"You'll just have to wait and see with the rest of Panem. Let's make our way to the Town Square once you're all ready," I guess he noticed our plates are all empty.

Once we arrive at the Reaping, my stomach starts to churn with nerves. I start to calculate my odds of being picked, and although the chance is small, it's not zero. I could still be the one who is chosen despite the chance being barely anything.

"Don't worry Della, the Capitol wouldn't send you into the games, not with me being a gamemaker. Kyla and Zane are on line, why don't you join them?"

"Good luck Honey," my mother says. I wave goodbye as I walk into the line. I see a young boy in front of me and he looks like he is crying.

"Is everything okay?" I ask him, trying to be kind.

"I'm just nervous, that's all," he says, sniffling a little.

"You'll be alright. Once the Reaping is over you'll be back with your family in no time, I promise," he seems to perk up a little, and I just hope what I'm saying is correct.

"Thanks," he says, wiping his tears away.

"You're welcome," I say. It is his turn to check in with the peacekeepers. I hear the boy whimper when he gets his blood taken. He is then sent into the section for twelve year old boys and it is my turn.

"Name?" A girl with wavy red hair says in a high pitched voice.

"Della Akuna," she flips to the second page in the book, which I conclude is in alphabetical order, and finds my name.

"Dominant hand?" I can see she's been doing this all morning, she looks tired and bored of repeating herself.

"Left," I say as she pricks my finger and I make a fingerprint next to my name as I saw the others do before me. She indicates for me to go to the fifteen year old girl's section.

I quickly find a place next to my friend Kyla that I know from school.

"Hey Della! Are you as ready for this to be over as I am?"

"I couldn't be more ready," I respond as she smiles at me.

"Did you see Zane earlier? I didn't get to wish him luck," she says, feeling a little guilty. It's making me feel the same way.

"Nope. Hopefully we'll all be fine though," Hope is all I have right now.

"Yeah. Who do you think it's going to be?" She asks me. I didn't really think about that.

"I don't know, I just hope it's someone who can come home," I say. At least one of the people Reaped on stage today will never see District Three again.

"Me too," Kyla pulls down her dress that is slightly too short. Whoever gets Reaped, I just wish they don't die painfully.

 _How is my father okay with children dying painful deaths?_

* * *

 **Xavier Fabre, 17**

 **District Three Male**

I wish I could just sit here all day.

The computer lab in the Public Library is one of my favorite places to be. It's normally pretty empty, and I like it best that way. I'm the best at coding in a quiet environment, and I'm not the biggest fan of socializing. If today wasn't Reaping Day I would probably stay here, perfectly content to code in my own little corner of District Three. But instead, I have to worry about having to fight for my life, ending twenty three other's hopes at the same thing in the process. I don't know what kind of person could even come up with the thought of ending children's lives for something they didn't cause. I head home to my family, trying to forget my worries of being Reaped.

I sit down at the table with the rest of my family. My oldest brother Elon and his fiancée have moved in together, and my other brothers Trae and Breccan are too old to be eligible for these games. My mother places the fruits at the center of the table, letting each of us pick our favorites. She already knew that I was going to chose the apple, Trae would pick the banana, and Breccan would take the pear. That left her with the orange, her favorite fruit herself. I don't remember much about my father, he died when I was a two, so my brain had not developed enough by that age to form any memories with him. All I know is that despite his mental disorders, my mother loved him dearly. Sometimes she says I look like him, my dark hair and hazel eyes resemble what I've seen of him in pictures.

"Are Elon and Joy coming by after the Reaping?" Breccan asks Mom. Joy is a nice girl, and together she and my brother are saving up for their wedding. It should be in about a year or so.

"Yes, we're all going to have dinner together this evening. Is there a girl you'd be interested in bringing Trae?" My mother asks. She's been wanting him to find someone for a long time.

"Not yet," from what I've observed he hasn't been interested in anyone lately. Mom wants him to find someone just as Elon did, but I don't think Trae is looking for a girlfriend right now. Breccan has dated a few girls but it's never anything serious.

Me on the other hand, I'd rather be alone. I've always been more of an introvert. I don't really have any friends, let alone anyone I'd like to date. Even when I'm partnered up with someone for a school project, I don't talk much, I just do what I'm supposed to and help them if needed. Being at the top of my class, I'm often a kid that people want to work with, but merely because of my brain and nothing more. Sometimes in these situations the more popular students take advantage of me, but I don't really mind. It's not going to hurt me to help them, so why not? Though if they were to do their own work their knowledge might expand a bit more, I don't mind helping struggling students.

We discover that it is a bit of a windy morning as we head to the Town Square. I'm following my brothers' lead on how to get there, as I've only been a few times for school related things. I remember it being absolutely humongous, and almost intimidating. I'm sure it could easily fit all the residents of District Three into it without it even being that crowded or camped. Though I'm fearful of this Reaping, my chances of being the boy that is chosen are only a decimal of a percent, so I try not to worry too much about it.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. Do you see how many boys there are here?" Trae is probably thinking the same thing that I am - I've never seen this many people all at once in my entire life.

"He's right. You'll be fine," Breccan echos the opinion of our older brother. They are both making me feel more confident that the odds of being Reaped are very slim.

"Unless of course you aren't," Trae tells me, his eyes widening for dramatic effect. They're trying to make me afraid and it's quite obvious.

"Yeah. You could be a murderer in a few weeks. You never know," says Breccan, scaring me to the core. I don't want to be a killer or anything of the sort. I just want to be a normal boy who codes the day away at the library.

"Boys, stop. You're being ridiculous. Xavier is not going to be picked, stop trying to scare him. Don't you see how afraid you're making him?" My mother has always defended me in the presence of mockery from my brothers.

"Sorry, we were just trying to be funny, that's all," Breccan looks at me and I can tell his apology is sincere, as is Trae's.

"It's alright," I respond, not really sure what else to say.

"You'll be okay baby," my mother says as she hugs me tightly. I really hope that she's right.

I get to the front of the line I was waiting on and the woman checking me in has quite a chirpy voice. I conclude she must be from the Capitol.

"Name?" She says, her brown eyes dull with boredom.

"Xavier Fabre," she flips a good amount of pages in the book before getting to my name. It's amazing how many kids there are here in Three.

"Dominant hand?" I saw her take blood from some of the others, so I presume she will do the same for me.

"Right," she pricks my finger quickly and I make a fingerprint by my name. After this I am sent to the section for seventeen year old males, as I wait for the Reaping to begin.

 _I'll be safe today, right?_

* * *

 **Lunasa Young, 33**

 **District Three Escort**

There's so much more to life than someone's appearance.

All everyone in the Capitol seems to think about is how people look. I've never understood why people value a silly thing like beauty compared to something that could actually get you somewhere in life, such as smarts or kindness. How do someone's looks contribute to the world? Someone's intelligence could help to advance an entire society, and someone's kindness could change many people's lives for the better. I've made it my personal mission to value wits alongside being nice above everything, contrary to the people around me in the Capitol. Maybe it had something to do with how I grew up, but beauty just seems so unimportant in the scheme of life.

When I was in school, I was taunted for the way I looked. I had frizzy, curly blonde hair, and mundane brown eyes. I was overweight and my face was covered in acne. I didn't care all that much, I had a close group of true friends and that was all I needed. But people were so mean. If you didn't like the way you look here in the Capitol, it's usually a simple process to get it changed. By the time kids are around twelve in the Capitol, most have gotten surgeries to change the way they look to their heart's desire. You can alter it as many times as you please, as long as you have the money for it. Personally, I didn't want to change the way I was born. I felt that I shouldn't try to be something I'm not.

My parents were the ones who decided that I would get surgery against my will. They didn't even bother telling me what specific changes I was about to go through. I remember them telling me before I drifted off prior to being altered, that I would finally get to be beautiful. I remember how much that hurt. Once I was done with school I moved out and never talked to either of them again. But they were right about one thing - I had become pretty. All traces of my acne scars along with all of my pimples were totally gone. I was skinny with a nice figure and my hair was totally straight, from that point forward it dried without a single wave. I could not believe how much my parents changed me without even asking for my consent.

When the rebellion started, I didn't really choose a side. I figured it didn't matter who I wanted to emerge victorious because I knew the Capitol would defeat the districts the entire time. When these games started, President Regis sent word that she was looking for escorts from the Capitol between the ages of twenty and thirty five, one for each of the twelve districts, for the First Annual Hunger Games. When I sent in my application, it gave you the option to request specific districts you wanted, along with the ones you didn't want. I figured Three and Five were my best bets for caring about smarts, seeing their industries revolve around that. I had written that I refused to be with One without an explanation, not feeling the need to explain my life story to our President. I was glad that I got my wish and ended up with District Three.

Today I chose an outfit that is subtle but nice. I know some of my fellow escorts may be going over the top, especially for their Reaping outfits, but mine is very simple. I wear a red sleeveless dress with a plaid print on it, and a headband in my hair to match. My black pumps make me look taller than my actual height of five foot two, one of the only things about me that my parents chose not to change. I'm sure they're going to be shocked when the see me on screens all over Panem. If only it was the real me, not some kind of alternative body.

I walk out onto the stage, following the script I have memorized carefully.

"Welcome to District Three's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" A few people clap while some others remain silent. I recite the Treaty of Treason, and I then continue on with the rest of the procedure.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the technology you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," I feel cold stares from some select members of the district.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," I open the slip of paper and read the name to the audience.

"Della Akuna!" I say, curious which of the many girls will come up to the stage. A fifteen year old girl in a fancy dress makes her way up the stairs onto the stage. She looks shocked that she is chosen - and almost confused. I think I've heard her last name before, but I just can't put my finger on it.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Della?" I pause, but the crowd is silent.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to the right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called please do the same as Della did," the poor girl still looks very confused and upset.

"Xavier Fabre!" I say, feeling pity for the boy that makes his way from the seventeen year old male section onto the stage. He looks pale, and so afraid of what is to come. As he comes closer to me I can see that he has beads of perspiration dripping down his face. He doesn't strike me as the type that enjoys the spotlight.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Xavier?" Once again, not one person's voice is heard.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District Three's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," Della and Xavier do as I say.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

 _Are either of these kids smart enough to make it through the games?_

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hi everybody! I hope you enjoyed my first Reaping Chapter! Della and Xavier were both really fun to write about and I can't wait to continue! Also, Happy Thanksgiving to those of you that celebrate it!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	3. District 1 Reaping

Chapter 3: A Hardened Past

* * *

 **Jade Thorn, 17**

 **District One Female**

Today was going to be my time to shine.

One of my servants wakes me up and alerts me that it is time to get ready for the Reaping. She takes the outfit I spoke of wearing with her last evening out of my closet, hands it to me, and leaves the room. I put on a white lace tank top, with black leggings to go with it. The black leather jacket and combat boots add an edgy touch to the look. I look in the mirror, thinking about how many people I will kill in the coming weeks. My red hair has always made me stand out, and my green eyes are shining with pride already. I hope that I will be able to make my father proud, it's really all I've ever wanted.

I strategically chose this getup in order to first and foremost look tough and intimidating, but also to hide all of my flaws. I have many scars on my back due to whippings by my father when I have not lived up to his high expectations. He's always wanted me to be as superior to everyone else as I can be. Though I've never told a soul about the scars I have, they've changed me. I was once a weak little girl that was timid and useless. Now, I've become cold and uncaring about anyone in the external world's thoughts and feelings. I much prefer it this way, being fearless is the best way to live your life anyway.

I had been waiting for this day since the moment I heard about the Hunger Games. My father proposed the idea of volunteering for the Hunger Games to me, and I was excited to prove my worth to everyone in Panem. If, no, when I won these games, I would come home as a Victor, and I would get to live a wonderful life. I wouldn't be the frail and helpless little girl that I used to be, and the whole nation would get to see how strong I've become. I can't wait to get these games underway. It's going to be an interesting experience that I know I will cherish for the rest of my life. The rest of my long, prosperous life.

"Are you almost ready Jade?" My father startles me when he walks into my room as I wasn't expecting him to be here.

"Yes Father. I'd like to have some breakfast first though, if that's alright," he rolls his eyes.

"Normally I'd tell you that you can't, you have to watch your figure in order to have some fans during the games, but since today is unlike most days, I suppose we can make an exception," I wasn't expecting that long of an answer but I am happy to hear I'm allowed. My weight is perfectly normal, but Father is usually strict with these type of things.

"Nothing too much though. Even when you're in the Capitol, don't eat too much. You can't be looking pudgy during the games," I really don't see the importance but I know how I'm supposed to respond.

"Yes father."

I head downstairs, excited for my meal. My father and I have three servants that work in our house, their names are Jewel, Valor, and Dior. Jewel is putting blueberry pancakes on five plates, and for a moment I am frazzled. Since when do our servants eat with us?

"What do you think you're doing?" I hear my father's voice and he is clearly thinking the same thing that I was.

"Well, I just thought that maybe-" Jewel gets interrupted by my father's voice.

"Maybe what? That people like you three are people like us?" The three of them look at the floor, not knowing what to say.

"As if," I say with a giggle.

"I'd like to eat with my daughter, alone. You all may eat after we leave, as you clearly will not be walking there with us," my father and I eat our pancakes in silence as they scurry away.

Though there are clouds in the sky as I walk with Father to the Reaping, I don't think my smile could possibly be any brighter. Today starts my journey of going down in history as Panem's first Victor of the Hunger Games, and that is an exciting thought. I feel confident that the years of torture will actually be worth something. My father is quiet as we walk, his green eyes focused on the path ahead of him just like my own. I never knew my mother or anything about her, as my father claims that the information should be classified. It's always been just me and him, and although I used to fear him, I am not afraid anymore.

We arrive at the Town Square fairly early enough that the check in lines aren't too long. I head over to a line with one girl getting her blood taken and a young boy standing behind her.

"Move, kid! Some people here are more important than others. I'm the someone, and you're the other," I can see tears well up in his eyes and I smile. He scurries away to another line. He almost reminds me of myself a long time ago, maybe one day he'll learn to be strong just like I did. Maybe once he's older he'll volunteer for a future games, all because I gave him a little shove that inspired him.

As I see the girl whose blood was taken wander off into the fifteen year old section, and I step up into the line and glare at a woman with an expensive looking green blouse.

"Name?" She asks me, and I know it's something she'll want to remember.

"Jade Thorn," I say confidently. She flips near the back of a large book and finds my name.

"Dominant Hand?" She says as she fiddles with her top as if it's more important than me.

"Right," I tell her. She pricks me and I show no signs of pain, just as I have always been taught. I am directed to the seventeen year old female section and I obtain a spot right at the front of it, the perfect place for everyone to see me.

 _How unskilled and weak will my competition be?_

* * *

 **Rocher Russe, 15**

 **District One Male**

I really hope we can find something.

If the three of us can't find a job to do, then I guess we'll just have to go another day without eating. Orchid, Citrine and I have been going from person to person on these streets asking if there's anything we can do to make a little bit of money. The rebellion has left the Districts in ruins, and I pity the other districts considering we are in the best condition. Normally we help people find their possessions that they've lost in the midst of the rebellion, and get some bit of currency in return which we use to keep ourselves going. Even though it's hard sometimes, I'm glad to be in the company of good people.

I lost my family during the rebellion. There was a bombing going on in District One, I viewed it myself as I happened to be playing in my yard. My house along with most of our neighbors' were left in ruins and my parents and siblings sadly passed away. My brother was only four, and my baby sister wasn't even a year old. They barely got to live their lives. I try not to let these thoughts get me down because I know they are all in a better place. Well, except for Uncle Lazuli. I never found out what happened to him. I was very lucky to have lived, but I did lose almost all of my hearing. I've learned how to lip read and enjoy teaching my friends sign language so it's easier to communicate. Lots of us street kids have learned it by now.

My friends and I spot a blonde man in a white dress shirt cleaning his windows, and an idea sparks in my head. I whisper to Orchid about asking him if we could do the cleaning in exchange for some money and she nods her head and the three of us make our way over to him but let Orchid do the talking. I read her lips as she speaks.

"Hi sir. We were wondering if we could clean your windows for some money? It doesn't have to be a lot or anything, just something small," the man ponders for a moment, but soon makes up his mind.

"Sure. I've got to start getting ready for the Reaping today, you guys can come and get me when you're finished," he seems friendly but I am curious what his voice sounds like. I guess I'll never know.

"Got it, thank you!" Orchid says with a smile as the man goes inside.

We each take a rag from inside the bucket and get to cleaning. The three of us work diligently and make quick work of our given task. We always try to work hard, because after all a job is not finished until it is done right. Soon enough, Citrine goes upstairs to let the man know that we have left the windows spotless. He comes down with a sack of coins, much larger than we usually get doing these types of odd jobs.

"Here. You guys look like you need the money more than I do," are what his lips read.

"Thank you very much Sir!" I say, most likely a bit too loud as I see my friends flinch a bit. But my volume will always remain unknown to myself.

We walk along the road until we find a little hot dog stand, excited that we now have enough money for our breakfast. Though this is a peculiar food choice, at least it's not an expensive one. I count the coins and split it up evenly between us, so each person can spend it how they please. Orchid gets a hot dog with both ketchup and mustard, and Citrine gets two plain hot dogs. He must be really hungry. I on the other hand, get a single hot dog completely plain. I saved my last two coins to get a lollipop. It's strawberry flavored and my eyes lit up the second I saw it. I gobble down my hot dog and savor the sweet taste of the lollipop in my mouth.

We walk past a small pond and I look down at our reflections below. Citrine looks so scrawny and small, while Orchid's wavy brown hair hasn't been brushed in days. My jeans and white t-shirt are old and worn out, as I've had the same clothes for months. My shaggy blonde hair falls in front of my brown eyes, and I smile even with my absence of front teeth at the large indent on my head, both effects of the bomb going off. At this point, there are so many layers of dirt on our faces that it's not even worth trying to wash off. Citrine suggests we make our way to the Reaping, an event we definitely should not be late for.

As I walk to the Reaping with my friends I take a moment to realize how lucky I've been. I survived the rebellion, and I lived through the bombing of my home. And despite the challenges the inability to hear has caused, I've been able to work my way through that too. Though this is the first Reaping, and I really don't know what to expect, I have a good feeling that I will be okay. There are so many kids here in District One, so the odds that I am going to get picked are pretty small. I hope luck will be on my side today.

Once we arrive at the Town Square, I wait on line to get my blood taken. Orchid goes first between the three of us, after all she is a lady. When it is Citrine's turn he lets out a little wimper when the needle pricks his finger. I, the last one of my group, look the woman taking my blood straight into her cold blue eyes.

"Name?" She pronounces the word clearly enough for me to know what she is saying.

"Rocher Russe," I watch as she flips towards the end of the book, yet still somewhat in the middle.

"Dominant hand?" She asks, already reaching for my right hand, as most people are right-handed.

"Left," I say with a smile and she looks surprised. She gestures me into the fifteen year old boy's section, and I look far all the way across the Square to see Orchid standing in the same row as me, but on the girl's side. I smile and wave.

 _Is being lucky and staying safe one more time too much to ask?_

* * *

 **Jevette North, 34**

 **District One Escort**

This is going to be the most exciting game ever played.

The moment I heard about the Hunger Games I was elated. The idea of the games is just so original and creative, and I wish someone had come up with it sooner. The nicest thing is, us in the Capitol don't have to worry a bit. I've got a three year old son that I know will watch the games year after year, most likely becoming a tradition in our household once I age out of becoming an escort. Unfortunately, you can't be older than thirty five in order to be an escort, but I feel as though it is such a great honor that I get to represent District One in these games.

Although the other escorts are getting paid to represent their district, mine is the opposite. My heart was so set on getting to work with One that I sent a bit of bribery in with my application. I didn't tell a soul, but I'm quite happy things worked out in my favor. It's funny to me that when I grew up we barely had any money and now I'm just giving it away at will. My father fighting in the rebellion really helped us leap forward in terms of wealth. He even worked with General Regis before he sadly passed away. Personally, I can't see why the districts ever wanted to rebel, but now they will pay for all the years to come.

I chose to work with the District with the least percentage of rebels and I outright refused to work with any of the ones that come after Five. I only wanted to be in the presence of those that stayed loyal to the Capitol, because the people that did not are barely even people at all. I wanted One so badly because I they also have the highest chance of coming out victorious. Being that they live in better conditions than most of the other districts, they are far more likely to be well fed and stronger. I have a strong sense that my tributes will be strong and powerful, as those are the only type I have an interest in. The games are not a good environment for someone meek and helpless.

I will do my very best to make my two tributes the ones to watch. Although one of them will perish, the other will become the first Victor of the Hunger Games. They will bask in the glory of their victory for years to come and I will become famous as the most successful escort. I've been wondering for weeks about what the little details of my tributes and I'm so excited that today I finally get to find out. Getting to know these two children will be fun, but the real excitement will begin once they are in the arena. I can't wait to watch them kill until one of them is the only person remaining.

I fiddle with my outfit as I take in it's beauty. The gold top I wear is coated in sparkles and the black leather pants have a golden stripe down each side to compliment it. My shoes keep with the color scheme and are shiny. Gold has always been a good color on me as it looks nice on my dark skin. My black hair is corn rows but up in a high ponytail. The last touch to my outfit is my golden contour, making me shine from head to toe. I don't think I've ever felt as confident and proud as I do in this moment.

I walk onto the stage in a feminine strut and I get ready to recite my script for my Reaping.

"Welcome to District One's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" A good amount of the audience claps and I can't help but smile. I say our Treaty of Treason with pride and go on with the script.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the luxuries you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," The audience claps again and I blow a kiss to the crowd.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," I wait a moment before reading the name to draw out the suspense.

"Prosper-"

"I volunteer!" I hear, quite excited that a girl is as ready and willing to be apart of the games as I am. A girl from the seventeen year old section with red hair walks confidently to the stage. She is exactly the type of person I signed up for. Though I'm curious what her counterpart will be like, this girl seems like a contender.

"How exciting! What's your name?" I say to her once she has made her way to the stage.

"Jade Thorn," she says, her green eyes staring back at me with a lethal look. I like her already. I don't think I could have pictured a more ideal girl for this position, she's perfect.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Jade did," I smile at her, but she doesn't smile back.

"Rocher Russe!" I say, realizing I pronounced it wrong after I said it but not correcting myself. There is silent for a moment when I see some chaos in the fifteen year old's section. All eyes are on a boy with messy blonde hair, and he looks flustered. A boy taps him on the shoulder and makes some type of gesture, and he then comes up to the stage and I can see how sad he looks. He doesn't look like the killer type to me.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Rocher?" This time I pronounce it the more logical, french-sounding way. I drop the _R_ and make the _E_ sound like _AY_.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District One's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," they oblige, but Jade gives an evil glare to Rocher.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

 _How until Jade and I are the talk of Panem?_

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hi everybody! This chapter was quite fun to write! Jade and Rocher are both very unique characters and I can't wait to keep writing! Hope you have a nice day!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	4. District 7 Reaping

Chapter 4: Some Tough Love

* * *

 **Ash Woods, 18**

 **District Seven Female**

I wake up startled by the sound of screams.

My sister Aspen's eyes are swollen as she has clearly been crying all night. She's been worried for days about the Reaping and that she will be sent into these awful games and have to fight for her life. I've told her countless times that the odds of it being her are very small but it doesn't help her anxiety. Nothing ever seems to. There are so many of us here in Seven, but yet she keeps on believing that it will be her name drawn out of the bowl. It's not her fault that she has developed anxiety, but her fear of the unknown is larger than anything I have ever seen.

"You're going to be okay," I say as I hug my sister tightly. It doesn't do any good and she is still sobbing.

"What's going to happen if I'm the one? I'm going to have to kill people, or even worse die? That's just horrible!" Aspen has always been the gentler one between the two of us - she wouldn't hurt a fly. She's my twin sister, and even though I'm only two minutes older, it feels like so much more.

"You're not going to be the one. You know how many kids are in Seven? There's thousands. And after this year, we're safe. At least we don't have to go through this for seven years like all the younger kids," finally, she stops crying when she realizes that after today we are safe.

It's been just us two for a while now. Our parents died in the rebellion, as did many other members of our district. It was a really hard adjustment to make, living life the past couple of years without people to look up to, people to tell you they love you every day. We both miss them a lot, and I hope that they're proud of us for staying alive. I wish they would get to see the people that we've become. Sometimes I feel like it's all a dream - that one day they'll both walk in the door asking us how we're doing. After that, I always realize they are truly gone and that I hopefully won't see them for a long time.

I do everything I can to protect my sister from this cruel world that we live in. I had to get a job in the woods cutting trees for the Capitol, but it doesn't make that much money. Most of the time the amount of money isn't enough to get a decent amount of food, but I've made my way around that. Our small home is quite close to the woods, and I set traps that get us small animals to eat. Sometimes I go hunting, but not that often as I'm usually too busy with work. Neither method is legal, but I have no other choice if I want my sister and I to live. I would do anything and everything to keep her alive.

The moment we heard The Hunger Games was announced, Aspen and I contemplated running away from Panem, in the company of her boyfriend Axel, and his sister Sophi, who is a close friend of mine. They had parents and another brother named Tris, who were sadly victims of the rebellion too. I don't understand how someone a year older than I am, someone Sophi's age, would place others in a fight to the death. We're just teenagers! Some of the kids going into the games won't even be teenagers yet! This girl is clearing sadistic and should not be running an entire nation. I wish we got the chance to escape when we could've.

It's too late to do that now. Reaping day is here and we have no choice but to go. In the districts, we were told that even so much as being late to the occasion is punishable by death. If we don't show up, we'll be tracked down and executed. I've worked too hard these past few years to just lay down and die. Aspen as I deserve to live as much as anyone, from a Capitolite to a District Twelve kid. Maybe we'll be able to do it next year without getting caught, once we're all safe and sound from the games. It's a comforting thought that there's something better out there and I truly am determined to find it. Maybe soon Aspen and I will get to live in comfort and happiness instead of poverty.

I look at myself and Aspen in our small mirror that has a crack going down the left side of it. My black dress does a good job of covering the scar on my back I got when a deer attacked me in the woods last year, and my combat boots make me a bit taller than my naturally short height. My curly brown hair is a mess, it is long and very hard to manage. Brown eyes stare back at me, just wanting this day to be over. Aspen and I look different from one another, she is an inch or so taller than me, even with my boots on, and has blue eyes. I'd kill for her wavy locks, they always look so beautiful. We soon make our way to the Town Square, and Aspen is as worried as ever.

Once we arrive at the Reaping, we make our way to one of the check in lines at the Reaping. Aspen was so anxious about being late that we've arrived thirty minutes early, so the lines all have barely any people in them. In under two minutes we are at the front of a line. Aspen goes first, a man with brown hair and brown eyes asks her for her name and dominant hand, and she whimpers a little when her finger is pricked. She waits for me once she is finished before heading to the eighteen year old female section. It is now my turn.

"Name?" The man says, not noticing the resemblance between my sister and I.

"Ash Woods," I say. He seems relieved that he doesn't have to flip the page as my name is right above Aspen's.

"Dominant Hand?" My sister is left-handed but I am not.

"Right," I say as he pricks my right finger and places my fingerprint next to my name. Aspen and I head to our section together, hoping that we are both safe from this terrible game.

 _How would someone like her be able to survive in the games?_

* * *

 **Alberi Legna, 17**

 **District Seven Male**

I've been lucky enough to have lived a pretty nice life.

Despite the rebellion going on in the world around me, my family and I have all ended up alright. We're one of the lucky ones for sure. I've got some friends who lost everyone and everything, and sometimes I feel guilty that I still have such a good life when so many people around me are suffering. I wish I could help them. I'm thankful we didn't take a side in the rebellion. If we did, who knows what would've happened? It was the right decision for my parents to stay out of conflict just as they usually do, this way you can't get into trouble. I get out of bed, wanting today to be over as fast as possible.

I get my white button-down out of my closet along with some nice black pants to wear as my outfit for the Reaping today. I comb my blonde hair to get rid of my bedhead, as I rub the tiredness out of my green eyes. I've grown a lot this year - I used to be on the shorter side, but now I'm five foot ten, which is about average if I'm correct. Some of the shorter boys in school get made fun of simply because of their height, but since I'm pretty well-liked I never had to deal with any type of bullying. I've stood up for those kids on many occasions, it's just my nature to do what's right, because no one deserves that.

My younger sister Harriet knocks on the door of my room with my best friend Josh by her side. We were planning on going to the Reaping together so he came over early enough that we could hang out before it. He's one of the people that was greatly affected by the rebellion that took place and I feel badly for him. His parents and older brother passed away during it, so now he lives with his Uncle Paul. He's been my closest friend since we were eleven, but we are now closer than ever. Harriet leaves to get herself ready for the Reaping, she is one year too young to be eligible for it, but is still forced to go. It's a scary thought that next year she has a chance of being picked.

Josh and I slump onto my bed, both in a dreary mood due to today being Reaping Day. But I don't plan on staying down in the dumps for too long.

"How about a game of would you rather?" I say. It's a game we play often and it always leaves us laughing about something.

"Okay. Would you rather play a prank on that rude neighbor of yours, or fail your next science test?" Josh asks me, the answer is obvious.

"Fail my next test of course. You know I'd never do that to someone," he smiles because we both knew that was coming.

"My turn, would you rather get to school realizing you forgot to put your pants on or go through all winter without a coat?" I ask Josh. I honestly don't know which one I would pick so I'm curious what he says.

"Go to school without pants. I'd wear some super funny underwear and it would be hilarious!" Josh is such a class clown, he always has been.

"Now I get to ask you. Would you rather kiss Sage, that pretty girl you sit next to in English, or let your hair grow down to your shoulders?" When Josh asks this question, he starts to speak at a quieter volume so no one will be able to hear what he says or what I say. He's the kind of friend that always keeps all your secrets safe and doesn't tell anyone.

"Grow my hair," I say, slightly embarrassed. I've never kissed a girl before.

"This one's an easy one. Either pancakes with maple syrup every time or without it for the rest of your life?" I smile at the easy question I gave, everyone in Seven loves maple syrup.

"What do you think?" He says sarcastically.

"You ask me one more and then we've got to go," I don't want to be late to the Reaping.

"Would you rather get Reaped for the games or volunteer?" The question scares me a little, I don't want any part in the games whatsoever.

"Volunteer. 'Cause if I did, I'd have some sort of reason," Josh nods at my answer, even though I'm unsure if what I just said ever makes sense. I say goodbye to my parents and sister and then we leave. They can afford to go a bit later since they don't have to check in.

As we walk to the Reaping I feel a sense of hope for the future. If I'm safe today, and then I'm safe again next year, that means I won't have to worry about this for the rest of my life. And then when Harriet gets through all of her Reapings, then everything will be okay. Josh and I will get the lives we deserve. I feel guilty though - because one person's life in our District will be taken no matter what, and more likely than not it will be two. We're all just kids, the President is pretty much still a kid too.

We wait in the check-in line and once we get to the front a man in a brown sweater awaits us with a big book.

"Name?" He makes eye contact with me indicating that I should go first.

"Alberi Legna," I say as he flips near the middle of the book.

"Dominant Hand?"

"Right," I say as he pricks my hand with a needle and places it down next to my name. He reapeats the same process with Josh. Once we are both done we make our way to the seventeen year old male section, and wait for the Reaping to begin.

 _Wouldn't it be so nice if nobody was Reaped?_

* * *

 **Honey Underwood, 31**

 **District Seven Escort**

I just wanted to get away.

I've been dating Dante for the past two years, and they've been the worst years of my life. At first, everything was fine and he seemed really nice, but then his true colors started to show. He abused me every day and I had no clue what to do. I barely even realized it was abuse at first, but I feel like if I tell anyone at this point it will just make it worse. If he were to find out that other people knew what he was doing to me, he'd be ten times worse and I could guarantee it. Plus, there's too much stuff going on nowadays with the entire nation at odds with each other, a woman with an abusive boyfriend hardly seems like a big deal in the scheme of things.

All I knew was that I needed to get out of that situation. Once I heard about the Hunger Games, and I heard they were in need of escorts from the Capitol to travel to the districts, I thought it would be good, even if it was just for a small amount of time. It'll be something to distract me with, and I think it will be interesting to meet two children. I've always liked kids and wanted to have a family of my own but sadly it doesn't seem like it's going to work out. Getting to know is interesting to me because there is so much diversity in our world. It's nice to know that there is a variety of people in the world, even if some are good and others are bad. At least there is good in the world.

When I sent in my application, I didn't ask for a specific district, as many other applicants did. I just didn't want to travel to one close to the Capitol, as I wanted to be as far from Dante as possible. So I did request not to be placed with districts One, Two, Four, Five, and Nine. That left me with seven other choice, and coincidentally I ended up with District Seven. I was happy with that because it meant I got to go farther North than I've ever been, which will be interesting. Sure, Seven isn't as far away as Ten, Eleven, and Twelve, but District One is a good enough barrier for me. Plus I'm glad I didn't get one of the really rebellious districts.

I'm quite thankful that I won't be in his hands anymore. The Capitol has helped me so much and they don't even know it. I was on their side during the rebellion and I'm glad I stayed loyal. If I lost faith in the Capitol then I would still be victim to Dante's abuse. I'm one of those people where once I believe in something, I never stop. I know how powerful the Capitol is but I think it will be interesting to see what the districts are like, as most of us stay here our whole lives. This will be quite the adventure.

As I stand backstage, I look down at my beautiful royal blue cashmere sweater paired with a black skirt. I don't wear high heels as I am already very tall. My golden blonde hair, normally straight, has been curled and looks so elegant. It makes up for my once blue eyes now turned grey with years of torture. I'm memorized my script for today like the back of my hand, and I am excited to be a part of something so new and exciting.

I step out onto the stage looking out at the huge crowd that stands in front of me. It's more people than I have ever seen.

"Welcome to District Seven's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" A few people clap, while others just stand there. This is a very divided district. I fly through the Treaty of Treason, and get on with the script.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the lumber you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," some of the audience members look angry, I'm guessing they weren't on our side during the rebellion.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," many of the girls look nervous, if my life was on the line I would be as well.

"Aspen Woods!" I see one girl in the front row's face go pale, and the girl next to her looks concerned as well. A girl with blue eyes starts comes onto the stage and she then starts to cry.

"I volunteer!" Screams the girl that was next to her. She walks up to Aspen and stroked her cheek, and stood on her tippy toes to kiss her forehead. Aspen walks off of the stage and is hugged by a muscular boy but she is still crying.

"What's your name?" I ask the curly-haired girl next to Aspen.

"Ash Woods," they must be twins, since they have the same last name and were standing in the same age section.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Ash did," this girl must be very selfless to volunteer so that her sister wouldn't have to face the games.

"Josh Van Hassel!" I say, this time seeing a boy in the seventeen year old section's eyes go wide with fear. A similar situation happens as before - a blonde boy next to him seems really shaken up.

"I volunteer!" Says the blonde boy. He looks at Josh and smiles but Josh looks very sad. The volunteer comes up to the stage, looking at the floor.

"Another one? What's your name?" I wasn't expecting two volunteers from one district.

"Alberi Legna," he says in a with a sad tone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District One's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," they both do as they were told, Alberi towering over Ash. Both of my tributes seem like really selfless people.

 _But is that a good quality for the games?_

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hi everybody! I wasn't expecting to have two volunteers in an outer district, but I think that's something different and fun as I've never seen it before. I had fun writing Ash and Alberi. Also, fun fact - today is my one year anniversary of being a fanfiction account! Yay! I can't wait to do another Reaping soon!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	5. District 11 Reaping

Chapter 4: An Unthinkable Occurance

* * *

 **Sky Umber, 16**

 **District Eleven Female**

I roll out of bed, almost forgetting that today was different.

Most days, I head to the fields with my mother, harvesting food that I will never be able to taste. Since everything goes straight to the Capitol, I haven't gotten to try any of what I work so hard to harvest. Some people try to steal it but that never goes over well with the newly installed peacekeepers. President Regis sent them over to the districts to make sure no one is engaging in rebellious activities. I've never stolen or broken any of the rules, simply because I'm afraid of the consequences. There's a part of me that wants to do so, but it always gets ruled out by the part of me that does what she's told.

But today, I'm not getting up to go to the fields. I'm being forced to go to some sort of death lottery that the Capitol calls a Reaping. The President has decided to punish the districts for the death of her father by creating the Hunger Games. One girl and boy from Eleven, along with every other of the twelve districts, will be sent to an arena, but twenty-three will come out dead and the remaining person will be crowned the Victor. She must have a lot of issues - I never even knew my father, he died before I was born, but I would never use it as an excuse to hurt or even kill others. Not that I would voice my opinion, but I think she's completely overreacting.

I'm not too worried about being the one who is Reaped. I'm fortunate enough to come from one of the larger districts, which makes my chances of being Reaped smaller than if I lived in a place with less people. I don't really have any friends that I'm worried about, since I'm normally too busy with work to get to know anyone. The other reason I'm feeling sort of safe is that I have no reason to be Reaped. I never cause any trouble in a district where the acts of rebellion never stop. Though the Reapings are supposedly random, I have a hunch that those chosen will be rebels, seeing as they were the cause of this sick game being created. Regardless, the thought of having to leave my family behind and possibly dying is making me quite afraid.

I dress myself in the only thing I own that could be considered somewhat fancy, a light green dress that goes down to my knees. I haven't worn it in years. It's not in the best condition but it's all I have. I brush my dirty blonde locks, something that makes me look sort of different in District Eleven. Most people here have black or brown hair, including my parents, but I've always liked my own hair. My hazel eyes are another uncommon trait, but much less rare. My mother tells me my eyes are just like my father's, but I'll never get to see for myself. Suddenly, my younger cousin Reed bursts through the door startling me for a moment.

"Good morning Sky!" Reed says with a big smile. He's always been a cheery kid. He moved in with my mother and I when his parents died in the rebellion eight years ago, he was only three. They didn't fight in it, but the Capitol set off a bomb that killed them. We try our best to give him everything we can. He's always been very appreciative of everything we've done for him. I'm thankful he's safe from this, since the Reaping is for ages twelve to eighteen and he is one year shy of that.

"Good morning. Did you have breakfast?" He nods his head up and down.

"I didn't finish all of the oatmeal, there's some extra down there if you want," he says to me. I'm a little too nervous to be thinking about anything else besides this Reaping.

"I'm not hungry," I say. I'll probably eat something after the Reaping, assuming I'll come home...

"Hey you two. Almost ready for today? We should probably get going soon. According to the President, coming late results in death," my mother looks uncomfortable when she says this.

"Oh. Then I'm gonna go get changed now," Reed says as he scampers away into his room. I'm guessing my mother scared him a bit, even though I'm sure she didn't mean to.

"How are you doing?" She asks me. It must be a stressful day for her as well. She already lost my father, she doesn't deserve to lose anyone else.

"Oh, I'm just so excited," I say sarcastically as she laughs at me. Reed comes out of his room in a light blue collared shirt.

"The Reaping isn't too far away, but do you guys want to leave now?" The Town Square is less than a half mile away from where we live. Some people in our District have to go by truck, but we live close enough that we walk.

"Yes," Reed and I say at the same time. He giggles.

There's not a cloud in the sky as we walk. It's been beautiful weather here in Eleven lately, not too warm and not too cold. I prefer it this way, although the rain is good for the crops sometimes working in it can be a pain. Reed tells us about what he's been learning in school, somewhere I haven't been since I was ten. We've decided that he will stay in school so he can get a good education. He really enjoys it as well, his eyes always light up when he tells us about his days. It makes me happy to see him that way.

When we arrive at the Town Square, many of the citizens are already here, but I know that there are still a lot more to come. Since I'm fairly early, the line to check in isn't very long. When I reach the front I see an intimidating looking man that I'm assuming is from the Capitol.

"Name?" His voice is low and he sounds like he doesn't want to be here, he's probably disgusted to be in such a poor district. They tend to look down on places like ours.

"Sky Umber," I say as he flips towards the back of the giant book containing the names of all of the eligible children in District Eleven.

"Dominant Hand?"

"Right," I respond, a little confused as to why he needs this information. He then takes a needle and pricks my right index finger, and presses it onto the page where my name is.

"Ouch! You could've warned me about that," I say, a little annoyed. He rolls his eyes and points to the section for sixteen year old girls.

Once I find my place I notice a loose string at the bottom of my dress. I fight the urge to pull it. I just want this Reaping thing to be over.

 _Who's going to be sent into the games?_

* * *

 **Amir, 14**

 **District Eleven Male**

It's hard not knowing a single thing about them.

The rebellion affected our district one of the most out of the twelve of them, and I've grown up in this horrible world without parents. Every day I wonder what they were like and if they ever even cared about me. I don't understand how two people could just leave a two year old and his seven year old sister to fend for themselves in the middle of an all-out war. I'm guessing they were part of the rebellion themselves, but that's only an assumption because I am completely clueless as to what happened to them and if they're even alive. I just wish I knew one small aspect of who they were.

I'm lucky I had my sister Neta to take care of me, otherwise I would have surely died. She's nineteen now, and is lucky that she is safe from this Reaping for the Hunger Games. I, on the other hand, am not so lucky. I could get Reaped today and all the work Neta put in to keeping me alive as a toddler would be for nothing. Though I have no idea how someone could come up with this whole thing, I heard it was because of the rebels. Most likely, because of people like my parents. Lots of people in my district were part of the rebellion, very few people actually support the Capitol. They make us work so hard and they take it all, leaving us with nothing.

Neta walks into my "room", which is really only the left half of the shack that she built for us so long ago. We don't have enough money to get a house or anything like that.

"Neta, do you think they'll be at the Reaping today?" I don't even need to say it, she knows I'm asking about our parents. I ask her all the time but she never gives me any information about them, although I'm sure she remembers something and she just doesn't want me to know. That hurts me every day.

"I don't know what to think anymore. I don't even know if they're alive," she looks at the floor and I too wonder if they lived or died in the rebellion. Maybe one day they'll come back for us and we'll all be safe from this cruel world. But if I were to take a guess, that's probably not going to happen.

It makes me so angry that she never tells me a thing about them. They were in her life for seven years, there's got to be something she remembers. Maybe it's too painful for her to talk about, but it causes me so much more pain about not knowing anything. I've been an angry person all my life, it's absolutely awful having such a big piece of myself missing, which is the source of all of my anger. If this stupid rebellion didn't happen, I'd get to live in a happy household just like the People in the Capitol. Except I'll never experience all the luxuries those kids get.

I look at myself in the small mirror, knowing there is nothing I can do to make myself look like I am not poor. My white shirt is all dirty and my trousers are a little small on me. It's not often Neta and I can afford to buy new clothes. My dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes are all common traits in Eleven. I'm nothing special and I know I never will be. Neta is safe and that's all that matters to me, I value her safety over my own. It's because of her that I was able to stay alive, and I am forever grateful for her.

I truly don't understand how someone could just decide that children could be sent to death without any way out of it. I mean sure you could win, but even so, you still kind of lose when you think of it. You're going to be traumatized for the rest of your life, and that's no way to live. I just keep hoping that I'll be safe today as I walk with my sister to the Town Square. It's not a long walk, when my sister built our shack she built it as close as possible to it so that we could get food as fast as possible. During hard times, Neta even had to steal, just to keep us going. I look at her tall but malnourished body and I pity the life we've had to live.

"Can't you tell me anything about Mom and Dad? I know I ask all the time, but you actually know them, and I never got the chance to," I say to my sister.

"They were nice people," she responds just like she usually does. It gets me so upset, but I don't ever show her this.

"If they were so nice, then why did they just leave us here to die?" Neta does not reply. What kind of sane people can do something like that to two little kids?

There are so many children here at the Reaping - more than any I've ever seen. I know we're one of the larger districts, but I didn't even know this many people existed in all of Panem.

I say goodbye to my sister as I get online to check in. When it is my turn I get to the front and I am greeted by a man in a black cardigan.

"Name?" He says, giving of a clear accent from the Capitol.

"Amir," I respond, noticing everyone else's name in the book has a first and last name.

"Do you have a surname?" He asks, sounding annoyed I didnt give him one in the first place.

"No," I say, looking at the floor. He flips to the last page of his large book where I and a few other are, with only first names.

"Dominant Hand?" He says, fiddling with a ring on his finger.

"Right," He pricks my right finger and I curse under my breath, even though I'm pretty sure he hears me. He points to the section for fourteen-year-old boys and I stand alone and wait for the Reaping to begin.

 _Would my parents even know if I was to be Reaped?_

* * *

 **Oluwa Ockley, 29**

 **District Eleven Escort**

Out of all the districts, I get stuck with this one.

I'm sure no one wanted to be the escort for District Eleven. It's a district full of filthy rebels, and who on earth wants to deal with them? They're a major part of the reason why the Hunger Games was created, because they decided to rebel against us. And now, we make them suffer. They have to work long hours in the fields, and it's their own fault. If they just stayed loyal to the Capitol like everyone else, they wouldn't have to suffer this much. But after all the stunts they've pulled, they completely deserve it. I'm disgusted to be here, in one of the worst places of our great country.

It wasn't like me or my family was struggling for money and I had to get a job. My father is a decorated veteran of the rebellion, who was a friend of General Regis before he died. We had more money than we could ever use. I didn't have to be an escort, I only signed up because I wanted to work with one of the richer districts, such as One, Two, or Three. In fact, I specifically requested not to be with Ten, Eleven, or Twelve. President Regis must have made some sort of mistake when she put me here. This makes me angry as I now have no chance of bringing home a Victor. These weaklings won't stand a chance.

I wanted a district that could win and make me well-known, with a boy and girl that would actually be able to fight and kill. Kids from District Eleven won't make the cut. If I were to take a guess, someone from the richer districts is going to win the Hunger Games. It would make the most sense, because it will be someone least associated with rebels. I'm sure that my tributes will be weak and puny, and I doubt I will have a volunteer. Anyone from the ages of twelve and eighteen has the option to volunteer in place of the boy or girl that is reaped. But this doesn't strike me as a district with children eager to do so. I don't feel like the Capitol would allow a victor from such a rebellious district.

I'm pretty much getting to know two teenagers that are going to die a few weeks after I meet them. I didn't want to have to do that. I had a best friend growing up, Keely, and we did everything together. Her father was also a veteran, and she was going to visit him one day when a bomb from the Districts went off on her father and his troop's resting area, killing her as well in the process. She only got to live until age eighteen. She didn't deserve to die that young, but these rebels certainly do. I'm sure Keely would have been as happy as I was when the Hunger Games were announced, but sadly she never got to find out about it.

Today for the reaping I decided to make my outfit a bit symbolic, just for fun. I'm wearing a lime green dress to show I am green with envy to have gotten such a worthless district. It is short and one side is sleeveless, the other is a tank top. It's filled with jewels and has a flowy bottom and is very short. My favorite color has always been green, I got eye surgery to change them to that color. I get keratin treatments to make my usually curly hair straight, and it is long and beautiful. My silver eye shadow and silver pumps complete the look.

Regardless of the rebellious audience, I still feel a rush of excitement as I strut onto the stage.

"Welcome to District Eleven's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" There is silence, no reaction whatsoever from the crowd.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the agriculture you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," I feel stone cold stares from many of the children and adults standing before me.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," I reach into the bowl, picking a name on the very bottom of the sphere.

"Sky Umber!" I see a girl step out from the crowd, wearing the same colored dress as me. The nerve! She looks very annoyed that she was picked and she is reluctant to step onto the stage. I wish I picked a different slip.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Sky?" You could hear a pin drop, just as I expected.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Sky did," I'm still so made that our dresses are of the same shade. I thought wearing green would make me stand out, but I guess not.

"This slip says Amir, but it doesn't give a last name. If your first name is Amir, but you don't have a surname, please come up to the stage," I see a dark skinned boy from the fourteen year old section make his way to the stage. Clearly, he never knew his parents, but if he lived in an orphanage, it's a possibility that his last name would've been discovered.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Amir?" Once again, the crowd is quiet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District Eleven's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," They do as I say.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

 _Who is gonna have faith in two tributes from a rebellious_ district?

* * *

 **Hi friends! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I'm back now! Sky and Amir were both very fun to write! I hope you all have a good day!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	6. District 8 Reaping

Chapter 6: A Missing Piece

* * *

 **Eisley Satin Weaver, 17**

 **District Eight Female**

Our house has never felt so empty.

It's been just me and my mother for a while now. My brothers and father were just trying to fight for justice and it cost them their lives. Fighting with the rebels was not the easiest choice, but I think that it was the right one. My mother and I miss them every day, and everything feels so different ever since they passed away. Our house had always felt so full of life when they were around, now it seems quiet and lonely. I've been unable to accept the fact that now I'm an only child - my dad, Patch, and Tartan have been a part of me for so long and it's hard to think about that they're just gone. The Capitol just took them away from me.

I sit on the corner of my bed, fiddling with a piece of lavender fabric in my hands. Over the years, whenever I get anxious about something, I find a spare piece of some fabric laying around in our home, and I simply start to embroider it. I thread the needle and feel the softness of the fabric in my hands, and I am suddenly calm. My mother is acting almost as nervous as I feel, she has not stopped cleaning the house since I've woken up. She hasn't even taken the time to brush her wavy blonde locks. If I get Reaped today, and if I die in the Hunger Games, she'll have no one. She wouldn't even survive - we are starved and that's with two salaries. She needs me and I need her.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about the Reaping since the day it was announced by President Regis, which was about a month ago. I can't fathom why someone just a little older than I am would try to kill innocent, or mostly innocent, children in each of the Districts. I feel quite guilty that this was created because of people like me and my family, but at the same time, I truly don't think we were in the wrong by rebelling against the Capitol. They treat us like we are nothing while we do all of the work to keep the nation going and they simply live in luxury. The world is an unfair place, and I personally believe that needs to be changed.

The only thing that's fair about my life is that I've found my person. I forget all of my problems when I am with my girlfriend Chenille. We've been dating for nearly a year and she's the kindest and most beautiful person I have ever met. Her wavy brown hair goes perfectly with her brown eyes, and her skin is perfect, without a single freckle or blemish. She supports me in everything I do and I'm so lucky to have her in my life. I was lost without Patch, Tartan, and Dad, but Chenille was able to help me find myself again. I wish my mother would be able to find someone else to love too, it would take away a lot of her sadness.

I get dressed slowly, wishing that today could just be skipped and life could go on as usual. My dress is light blue, and I embroidered white flowers on the hem and collar of it last night. The dress was a lot of money, but I was careful as I sewed not to make a mistake. I brush my auburn hair as I watch my mother look at a picture of my father, one of the only ones we have, and she starts to cry. A tear escapes my own blue eyes, I wish they were still here. Patch and Tartan would have been safe today, but instead they are somewhere else. I'm at risk of dying with them. I can't handle the stress of this Reaping, I don't know how I'm going to have to do this another year - if I live that long.

I hug my mother goodbye as I head out to meet up with Chenille and my friends, Tweed and Velvet. Velvet is my neighbor, so it's not a far walk for him, and Tweed and Chenille live near each other as well, so at least their walk would be in company of one another. To my surprise, they are all already at my door.

"Eyelet!" Chenille says as she wraps me into a hug.

"Are you guys ready to go?" I say, looking at the floor. I don't think any of us want to go to this, but it isn't really a choice.

"No," says Tweed, not that I'm surprised. She has been a proud rebel since the day the war was announced. It's not too frowned upon to be a rebel in Eight, as a good amount of people here are. We all laugh and start our walk.

A few minutes later, we arrive at Town Square, and make our way to the check-in line. A man with curly brown hair has a large book in front of her, and I am the first of the four of us to check in.

"Name?" he asks, staring me down from head-to-toe.

"Eisley Satin Weaver," I respond, and the man flips to the second to last page in the book.

"Dominant Hand?"

"Right," I respond as he takes my hand and pricks my finger with a needle. I flinch as I wasn't expecting this. The rest of my friends check in, and we have to go our separate ways because of our different ages, except for Chenille and I. We wait for the Reaping to begin, hand in hand.

 _Will I be seeing my brothers and father soon?_

* * *

 **Corduroy Denim Poplin, 12**

 **District Eight Male**

"And that's why the people of the past lived an easier life than the citizens of Panem," my sister Chenille reads aloud to me.

I am sitting next to her on a couch, very interested in the article she just read. I'm one of those people who's mind never stops racing, whether it be about the past, present, or future. I've tried to soak up as much information about the civilizations before me as possible, observe the world around me during every moment, but the future is unknown. Maybe one day I'll be able to create something that would help people predict and prepare for events coming in later years. Something like that could've possibly changed the outcome of the rebellion.

I've always been close with Chenille, she's the most wonderful sister I could ever ask for and I wouldn't trade her for anyone else in all of Panem. She's one of the very few people that I am close with. I'm not the most social person, I'm quite the introvert if I'm being honest. She is the opposite - she's outgoing and really fun to be around. Even if I were to have another sibling, I don't know if I would gel as well with them as I do with Chenille. She the person I know I can always talk to if I'm having a problem. It's very comforting knowing I have someone like that, many people lost loved ones to the rebellion or never had one to begin with.

I tested positive for autism at the age of seven, but I'm very low on the spectrum of it. There are many others who are worse off with it than I am, so I'm considered to have highly-functioning autism. It's not noticeable to the average person that I even have this condition, and I don't talk about it often. The only people that are aware of it are my family, my friend Taylor, and my sister's girlfriend, Eisley. Though I'm a bit socially inept, I try my best to be empathetic to others around me, but it's a challenging task. Sometimes kids at school are rude to me, but I never focus on it so it can't get me down. I'm still a person, just like everyone else.

Everyone is different, and I believe that the fact that I have high-functioning autism is just a part of me. No two people have the same DNA, unless they're identical twins, but even so, everyone has personality traits and there is a variety of people in the world. There's a plan to everyone's life, and I'm interested in seeing how my life will play out. I've never met another autistic person in Eight, at least that I'm aware of, but I think it makes me unique. That's the word my parents use to describe me quite often, and it is a term of endearment. I wish other people could use that instead of saying _weird_ or _strange_. I believe uniqueness has a positive connotation to it.

I head to my room to change out of my light blue pajamas into my reaping outfit. For today, I've selected I white button down shirt with nine beige buttons down the center, and with khaki pants to match. I fix my brown hair and rub the morning tiredness out of my brown eyes. I put on thin grey socks and white sneakers, and go back downstairs with my family. We all eat oatmeal for breakfast, and the table is unusually quiet. Even Chenille is uneasy about today, at worst both of us could be going in to the games. However, the odds of that occurring are close to zero. It's not worth all of the worrying if the probability is so low.

Instead I try to focus on that I will be going to the Reaping with Taylor, my best and one of my few friends. Like me, she is also the youngest child in her household. However, she lost a sibling to the dark days - he was in the rebel army, and died in combat. It's affected her a bit over the past two years, but she's still a good friend. Taylor is also very smart, which is I think why I get along with her so well. Most of the time, I prefer to be around people who are wiser more often than not. She spends a lot of her time getting her hands on any book she can find. We've bonded over our passion for learning about the world before us, even though the reason that society died out is still unknown to our people. I hope I can find out the truth behind it one day.

Chenille leaves to go to the Reaping with her girlfriend and friends, while I meet my friend Taylor at my house. We walk to the Reaping together in silence, but comforted by each other's presence. We're the youngest people eligible for this Reaping, which is scary knowing that kids our age could be going up against teens six years older than us fighting for their lives. I get a bit distracted on the walk there looking at a loose thread on Taylor's baby pink blouse, and I feel the urge to pull it so badly, even though I know I can't. Her brown hair is done in a complex braid, one I'm guessing her sister did for her. I don't have enough time to analyze the rest of her outfit before we are at the Town Square.

Taylor and I get into one of the check in lines, one with a small amount of people so we won't have to wait. She goes before me, and her blue eyes go wide with fear when she get pricked. I say goodbye as she heads into the female section for our age, as we can't stand together due to our difference in gender.

"Name?" A man in a red sweater and jeans asks me.

"Corduroy Denim Poplin," I respond, somewhat quietly. He flips to a page in the middle of the large book, and it takes him quite a while to find my name.

"Dominant Hand?" He asks me, frustrated that it took so long to locate my name.

"Right," I respond as I get pricked. I am directed to the twelve-year-old male section, where I stand in the back row. It's as far back as possible, considering the twelve-year-olds are in the back and the children towards the front are the oldest.

 _What is this Reaping going to be like?_

* * *

 **Wahida Carmichael, 32**

 **District Eight Escort**

I've lost everything.

The Dark Days have taken away everything I have ever known and loved. I grew up with such a large, loving, family, and it's hard to picture them all being just gone. I had a mother, a father, two older brothers, a twin brother, and a little sister, and they did not deserve to die. We didn't even bother taking a side in the war - all they were doing was trying to enjoy a dinner, when one of the rebel troops came in and shot everyone in the restaurant. The only reason I lived is because I was spending the night at a friend's house, so I wasn't with my family that night. The hardest part about it was that I left for my friend's house in an argument with my mother, and I never was able to tell her I was sorry. This was fifteen years ago, and I have still not been able to recover.

The loss of my family has pushed me in to a state of severe depression. I haven't had the motivation to do anything ever since their death. I used to do everything with my younger sister and best friend Taj. We both had a dream of becoming fashion designers when we were older, we were going to start our own clothing line together. I used to be quite the talented artist when I was younger but I haven't picked up a pencil since Taj has been gone. I had dreamed for so long of the days when the rebellion would be over and I could create a fashion line for all of Panem, not just the Capitol, but the districts as well. I'll never get the chance now.

I haven't spoken to anyone since the tragedy. Sometimes I talk to myself, but I have lost the desire to be near anyone anymore. It's hard, how one moment I had a happy family and in the next they're all dead. I don't want to get close to anyone in fear of it happening all over again. I've drifted apart from any friends I had, let go of my dreams of going to fashion design school, everything I had ever wanted went down into the drain of sadness. I miss the days where Taj and I were two teenagers with big dreams, now that she is gone I have lost any sort of ambition whatsoever. I just wish I could be with her one last time.

When President Regis made the announcement about needing escorts from the Capitol to help the tributes for the Hunger Games, I thought it would be a good idea for me to try it out. I need to get out of the sad whole that I've been in for nearly half of my life and make an attempt at actually doing something. I requested not to be with District Ten, as that was where the troop was from that killed my family. I specifically asked for District Eight, which ended up being the District I got. Since it is the textile and fashion district, I thought that it could possibly bring me some much needed nostalgia. I hope to forge a nice connection with my tributes and bring one of them home.

I chose an outfit today that was a print that those in District Eight could easily recognize - paisley. My red blouse is of that print, with blue and yellow accents. I wear casual skinny jeans for comfort reasons, and I have on brown boots with a two inch heel. I curled my usually straight black hair and put on some ruby earrings to match the blouse. I'm curious as to how the people in District Eight dress, since they have access to all of these fabrics I wonder what they are able to do with them. I quickly dismiss that thought, as I know that the Capitol takes all of that without leaving any for the district that produces it.

I prepare myself to speak to a crowd for the first time in fifteen years.

"Welcome to District Eight's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" Most of the crowd is silent.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the textiles you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," Most of the audience just looks at me angrily. It's a little disheartening.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," I select a name.

"Eisley Satin Weaver!" I see a girl in the seventeen-year-old section go into a panic, and the girl next to her hugs her as she walks to the stage crying. I notice she has a beautiful outfit on, but it is now stained with tears.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Eisley?" The district is quiet except for Eisley, the girl who was standing next to her, and another woman crying.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Eisley did," A few of the boys look quite fearful and I pity them.

"Corduroy Denim Poplin!" All eyes are on a young boy standing as far away from the stage as possible, who clearly dislikes the spotlight. He looks around frantically before walking to the stage with tears in his eyes.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Corduroy?" Not one person chooses to do so.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District Eleven's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," It seems as though the tributes know each other, as the boy who was so fearful moments ago looks less afraid.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

 _Am I going to befriend these tributes only for at least one of them to_ die?

* * *

 **Hi everybody! This chapter was so sad, seeing as Eisley and Corduroy know each other, since Eisley's girlfriend is Corduroy's sister.**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	7. District 4 Reaping

Chapter 7: Some Unknown Characteristics

* * *

 **Athena Garcia, 17**

 **District Four Female**

Amongst all of the chaos our country is in, I am safe.

I live a pretty nice life here in Four, even though I never got the chance to meet my father. My mother was pregnant at age sixteen, which is hard to imagine, but my father went to fight in the war on the side of the capitolites. Unfortunately, he died in combat before I was born, just a few months before my mother gave birth to me. I'm lucky to have had a good childhood despite the absence of a dad, and I'm really close with my mother. She makes enough money for us to get by, and I'm yet to experience a day where I am starving, which makes me luckier than most in Four.

Another thing I have a lot of luck in is that I have good genetics to live a long life. My father's parents are still alive, and it's pretty rare to grow up in Panem knowing your grandparents unless you live in the Capitol. I can't imagine what it must be like for them having to experience the death of their own child, but now with the Hunger Games starting I think more people will be experiencing it around the nation. I am close with them, knowing them is like knowing a piece of my father in a way. I've got many aunts and uncles as well, my mother has a sister and my father had a sister and brother. There is a lot of people in my life to love, and that makes me happy.

In preparation for the Reaping today, all of my extended family is coming over for a breakfast. I'm the only person that is under the age of eighteen, but since the fishing docks are closed today, everyone has a bit of free time. My mother made pancakes for everyone, and that's a real treat we don't get to eat often. I wish there was more maple syrup to put on, but we don't have enough and everyone has to share. I sit quietly as the people around me talk, and with so many different conversations going on at once there is not a specific one I could focus on. I try to savor the sweet taste of the pancakes in my mouth before it goes away.

I go to my room and look in the mirror one final time, just to make sure I look okay for the Reaping. My light blue blouse is made of a material that looks more expensive than it is, and my white skirt is comfortable, just the way I like it. My long brown hair is down, and I push it behind my ears so my blue eyes can be seen. I go back downstairs and say goodbye to the family that still remains at my house. A pained look is upon my mother's face as she hugs my father's parents. She really misses him. She says I'm like him in a lot of ways, especially when I'm being headstrong, which is pretty much all the time.

I'm going to meet up with my friends before the Reaping, as I feel it makes it a bit less scary to go to something like this with your peers. All of us are eligible to be Reaped today, and though unlikely odds, two of us could even be going to the games together, since my closest group of friends consists of girls and boys. There is a slim to none chance of that occuring, so I know I don't really have to worry. My best friend is Murdoch, he's been by my side since we were little kids, and I'm also very close with Coraline and Glan, and we're all going to a place that makes us feel safe - the beach.

We all sit on the sand, not caring much that our Reaping outfits will become sandy. It's so comforting to watch the waves go back and fourth, watching them has always made my worries go away. I also love the way the sand falls between my fingers, another comforting touch I have enjoyed all of my life. We make some quiet conversation, but for the most part the four of us are too anxious to say anything. I can't imagine going through this whole thing again next year. The Reaping just seems to bring out a whirlwind of emotions for all those involed, and it's a lot to take in. Twenty-three children are going to die every year for the rest of our existence.

When Murdoch looks down at his watch and alerts us that it is time to leave, my stomach drops. I know I most likely won't get Reaped, but the thought of going into the Hunger Games is quite scary. I made the assumption that a rebel would be Reaped as soon as the announcement came out, but even though we supported the Capitol I still am not completely safe. The walk to the Town Square isn't a long one, but it feels like forever. Normally the Square is bright and colorful, but today it feels dull. Though there aren't too many rebels in District Four, this is all their fault. I've always been one to follow the rules, I would never cause an uprising like they did.

When we arrive at the Reaping, we step in one of the shortest check-in lines so we won't have to wait too long. Of the four of us, Murdoch and Glan get their fingers stabbed first and head into the male section, while Coraline waits for me so we can stand together during the Reaping.

"Name?" A woman with bright blue eyes asks me. They are as clear as the ocean was this morning.

"Athena Garcia," I respond as she flips a few pages before reaching my name.

"Dominant Hand?" I find it strange that they stab your dominant hand here, Coraline is a lefty and they chose to stab her left hand.

"Right," I respond, a hiss of pain coming out as the needle pierces through my finger. Coraline and I walk to the seventeen-year-old female section, awaiting the Reaping to begin.

 _What if one of my friends will be going into the games?_

* * *

 **Syris Montgomery, 18**

 **District Four Male**

There's no such thing as a problem when you're underwater.

I have come to the ocean to swim every morning since I was a little kid. I like being in the water best when it's not crowded, so I come each day to watch the sun rise and then relax in the ocean. When I'm in the water, I can physically feel all of my problems float away into the sea. All that's left is euphoria. I float on my back and look at the morning sky, it's a beautiful combination of pinks and oranges. It's something you could view in a painting, not that I've seen many of those in my lifetime. I've gone through a lot in my life, but being in the water and looking at the sky makes it all worth it.

I've never known what it's like to have a lot of money. I had to learn the hard way how to survive. When I was younger, my parents had to go to desperate measures to keep our family alive. They attempted to steal food for me and my sister Isa, who was only five years old at the time, and were executed for it - right in front of our own eyes. It was nine years ago, but I'm still unable to get that image out of my head. They weren't trying to break the law, they only wanted to keep their children alive. I've always felt as though they are with my sister and I, we're lucky to be alive and I believe they are helping us.

Uncle Bay has helped my sister and I more than anyone else. He took us in after our parents death, and treated us as if we were his own. Funny thing is, he never wanted to get married or have kids, but he ended up with two of us anyway. I can't imagine growing up with a brother and then losing him, like Uncle Bay did. If I were to ever lose Isa I don't know what I would do with myself. My uncle has provided a lot for me and my sister, we are very lucky to have him. We wouldn't have survived on our own if he didn't take us in. He's like a father to me, even if it isn't by blood. Love is enough to count as blood.

I've helped Uncle Bay with fishing ever since I started to live with him. Not only does it give our family enough food to survive, it makes us a bit of money. It's never a lot, but it's enough to keep us going. Depending on what was available at the fishing docks that day, I had to learn how to use both a trident and a spear. Personally, I prefer the spear, but I'm good with both since I don't often get a choice. Most of the time, only tridents are available, as that's what most people use in Four. I don't have to worry about going hungry like I did as a little boy, now that I've mastered this useful skill. If my parents had known how to fish, they wouldn't have died.

I open the door to my house to find Isa waiting to see me.

"Syris!" Most people would expect a sweet sibling to come to them and hug them, but not me. Poor Isa has been stuck in a wheelchair since she was a toddler. She wheels herself over to me and wraps her arms around my legs.

"Hey Isa, are you changed yet for the Reaping?" She can't change her pants by herself so I've always had to help her.

"Nope," I wheel her into her bedroom to assist her. She puts on a baby pink blouse and requests her black leggings. Although they are on the top shelf I've never had trouble reaching it, I've been tall my whole life.

"Thank you," She smiles. Her green eyes remind me of my father's.

"I'm going to change now, I'll meet you in like five minutes," I say, walking to my room.

I change out of my wet swim shorts, into dry beige ones. I throw on a simple white shirt. We saved up enough money to buy Isa a nice outfit for the Reaping, but sadly we didn't have the funds to buy me something fancy for me. Lastly, I slip on some brown flip flops, wanting to be in something more comfortable than sneakers. I go into the bathroom and comb my brown hair. It usually looks like a mess after I'm out of the water, and I want it to look good in case I'm shown on television. My blue eyes match my late mother's, as blue as the sky. I head back into Isa's room, ready to wheel her out for the Reaping.

Uncle Bay and I walk as I push Isa in her wheelchair to make our way to the Town Square. I don't understand how someone with her disability is elligiable to be Reaped for the Hunger Games, but I guess the Capitol is merciless. She can't even walk, how can they expect her to kill someone? I think it's just awful. We are all silent as we make our way the the Reaping, praying that we are all safe from this horrible creation. I don't know how a President can make this for a country's children, for all eternity. Isa would die if she was Reaped, and my heart would be broken. I wouldn't be able to live without her, I hope she's safe.

I wheel Isa into a check-in line and wait my turn behind her. She gets her finger pricked first, wincing a bit from the pain. I kiss her on the cheek good-bye and she wheels herself to the section for the fourteen-year-old girls. I step up to the woman pricking fingers.

"Name?" A woman with eyes as blue as my own asks.

"Syris Montgomery," I say, she doesn't need to turn the page since alphabetically my surname is right after Isa's, considering we are siblings.

"Dominant Hand?" She asks. I feel like I've seen her around town but I can't put my finger on where.

"Right," I say. She pricks my finger and places it next to my name as I head to the eighteen-year-old male section, right in front.

 _How could the Capitol allow someone like Isa to be eligiable to be Reaped?_

* * *

 **Qadesh Verbeck, 27**

 **District Four Escort**

I don't know what it's like to feel an emotion besides pure anger. Everyone else in the Capitol lives a life of endless luxuries, but I didn't get that. I'm still richer than those that live in the Districts, but I barely even consider them people. They're pretty much a completely different species. I don't make too much money, but it's enough to get by. Sadly, it's not enough to eat expensive foods and do other frivolous things. It's unfair to me that other people are higher up in the world, I know I should be above everyone. The President can make up her stupid little games, but I will still find a way to be the center of attention. I wanted to be an escort.

My family deserted me when I was ten years old. My parents struggled to make money, they just couldn't find a steady job, which meant that they were unable to feed three children. I had two older brothers that were able to work a little, but I was too young. One rainy evening, they told me that they were leaving me in an orphanage so I would have somewhere to live, and that was the last I ever heard from them. Once I was old enough to leave the orphanage, my parents still never made an effort to reach out to me. They just left me to fend for myself in the cruel world that we live in. I guess you could say it's turned me into a mean person, but it's not my fault, it's theirs.

Deep down inside my confident exterior, there has always been an insecure part of me that thinks I am not good enough. Everyone has that part of themselves, the little voice in their head telling them they'll never do anything important with their life, right? I'm positive I'm not the only one who hears it. My family left me behind because I wasn't up to their standards and pulling my weight as a member of it. I know I'm good enough at everything I try, as I'm all around one of the best human beings there's ever been, but I even question myself and my superior skillset. I don't know why I doubt myself and it's a bad habit I should try to end.

I signed up to be an escort because I truly do need the money. I deserve an exotic life that the people around me get to have. But what I need more than anything is for one of my tributes to win, as that would give me a much-needed bonus in pay. I don't know who my tributes are going to be, but they better have the characteristics of a Victor. And if they don't, I'll just have to change their personality completely. I didn't want the kids from Eleven and Twelve, as I doubt a rebel would win. I requested to have one of the first four districts, and the President listened to my request and gave me District Four. Since it's not too rebellious of a district, I think I'll have a better chance.

I look down at my outfit, its the fanciest thing I own. I wear a baby blue polo shirt with beige white khakis. My tie is silver and is made of a material that sparkles in the sunlight. It's a simple outfit, I'm sure it will be nothing compared to what the other escorts are wearing, but it's all I have. I wear royal blue loafers to finish off the preppy look. My curly brown hair is short, but still always looks messy no matter how hard I try. It's a major pet peeve of mine. My hazel eyes are probably my best feature, as every day they are a different shade of green or brown.

I walk onto the District Four stage, ready to begin the Reaping.

"Welcome to District Four's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" Part of the crowd claps and it eases my nerves a bit. I've never liked public speaking.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the fish you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," There's going to be one Victor and it's going to be one of my tributes.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," I choose a name right in the middle of the bowl.

"Athena Garcia!" All eyes are on a brunette in the seventeen-year-old section. The girl standing next to her looks almost as shocked as she does. She makes her way to the stage, most likely surprised she was Reaped.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Athena?" The only sound I hear is the waves crashing from the nearby ocean. At least Athena is on the older side of the spectrum, I could've been stuck with worse.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Athena did," There is quite a lot of tension as I pick a slip out of the bowl.

"Syris Montgomery!" A tall boy emerges from the eighteen-year-old section. He doesn't look afraid or surprised, which is a good thing. He seems like he could go far in the Games.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Syris?" Although I'm required to ask, I hope that nobody does.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District Four's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," Syris towers over Athena, he is nearly a foot taller than her.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

 _Can one of these tributes make me the money that I need?_

* * *

 **Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed reading about Athena and Syris! I can't believe I'm already halfway done with the Reapings! Also, happy Saint Patrick's Day to anyone that celebrates it!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	8. District 9 Reaping

Chapter 8: An Undeniable Guilt

* * *

 **Anona Grane, 12**

 **District Nine Female**

I pull my pink covers off of my bed, happy that my room is just the way I want it.

Despite living in a family as big as I do, I have my own room all to myself. So many people in Nine are struggling, but since I'm not one of them it doesn't matter much to me. My bedroom is decorated in shades of light pink and lavender, my two favorite colors. I live like a princess, and in everyone the world around me treats me like one. Sometimes I enjoy looking out my window and prentending the people that walk by my house are my peasants. My room is on the third floor, our house is practically a castle.

I guess that makes me the Princess of District Nine.

I open up my closet, taking a moment to decide what I want to wear for the Reaping today. I choose a baby pink dress that sparkles in the sunlight, but I have trouble deciding between wearing my gold or brown sandals with it. I try both of them on with the dress, ultimately going with the gold ones. I brush the knots out of my blonde hair, suddenly feeling self concious about that my dress makes me look chubby. I weigh I more than most girls at school, but I try to dismiss the thought. I am beautiful. I wink at myself in the mirror as I admire my green eyes. I can't wait any longer for my breakfast so I head downstairs.

"Make sure to save some pancakes for Anona!" I hear my father say. My entire family treats me like a baby, since I am the youngest of ten children. My mother died giving birth to me, a grudge my family holds against me. It bothers me that I am treated like a child, considering I'm not that much younger than some of my siblings - my sister Cassie is only a year older than me. However, there's others that are twice my age, like Fiona, who is the oldest among us at twenty-four. I sit down at the table with the rest of the family, and my stack of pancakes are already at my seat. One of the perks about being the youngest is I don't have to do a thing.

My seat has a plate with four pancakes, nothing else. Some of my siblings have chocolate chips on their pancakes which makes me furious.

"Where are my chocolate chips?" I emphasize the word _my._

"Sorry, we ran out. We'll save some for you next time," my sister Kaila informs me. How dare they leave me with nothing?

"This is ridiculous!" I scream, taking all of the chocolate chips on the top of her pancake stack with my hands and shoving it into my mouth. "There! All Better!" Kaila rolls her eyes at me but I don't care.

"Gross! You can't just stick your hands in someone else's food!" my brother Ryan interjects.

"Been there, ate that," I respond, gobbling down my pancakes.

I walk out the door, heading to the nwely built statue of President Regis. That's the meeting place my friends and I chose to gather before the Reaping. When I arrive, Tatiana and Ylette are already waitng.

"Hey guys!" I say happily. Casey and Taelor aren't here yet, it's the farthest walk for them since they live on the poor side of town.

"You look so pretty!" Ylette tells me, not that I needed the reassurance.

"Thanks! So do you - both of you. How much longer until the others get here?" I ask.

"BOO!" I hear from behind me, letting out a high-pitched scream. Casey has always been quite the prankster. Taelor lets out a giggle, and now that our group is here we can start walking to the Reaping.

The five of us are without a doubt the most popular girls in our school. We even have a name for ourselves - "CATTY". If you take the first initial of Casey, Anona, Tatiana, Taelor, and Ylette, it spells out the word. People call us catty, however they use in more in the context of what the word actually means, rude. It doesn't matter what they think, becuase we rule the school, not them. We walk to the Town Square, all five of us in a horizontal line with me in the middle. No one can get through us that's trying to walk past, but to be completely honest, I do not care. I am with my friends, the only people worthy of my presence.

As we walk down the street, we giggle at those around us. We all burst out laughing when a young boy, no older than seven or eight, trips and falls flat on his face. A mother and daughter try to walk through us but we link arms and refuse to let them. We then all giggle at a little girl crying to her father about being hungry.

"Guys, that's not funny. I know what she feels like," Taelor says aloud to us. Her family has always struggled for food, considering she has three older brothers and a younger sister. Her mother left their family when she was young, leaving their source of income somewhat low.

"Well I don't. All I know is how stupid she looks right now," I say, continuing to laugh.

Soon enough, we make it to the Town Square, and step into one of the shorter lines. A skinny red-haired man awaits us with a large book. Of the five of us, I am the first one to check in.

"Name?" He asks me, sounding tired and bored.

"Anona Grane," I respond as he flips pages to arrive at my name.

"Dominant Hand?" He asks, a needle in his hand. I hate needles.

"Left," I respond, annoyed at the prick I receive. He places my finger down next to my name, leaving a bit of my blood there. Ylette goes after me, then Tatiana, followed by Casey and lastly Taelor. We all walk to the twelve-year old section together and await the Reaping to begin.

 _How stupid is the girl going to look that gets Reaped?_

* * *

 **Griffin Hatchet, 17**

 **District Nine Male**

I have to do everything I can to help.

I'm so thankful the night shift at the factory is over, I can finally go home. Most people in Nine work in the fields, but I work in this awful place, packaging grain to the Capitol. I'd much prefer to be outdoors, but it makes a bit more money to be in the factory, something I desperately need. Most of the time, I work during the day, however since today is Reaping Day my usual day shift will not be happening, so I made up for it by working at night. I'm happy that my last shift was cooler than the usual day shift, it gets so hot then, but at this point I'm more than used to it. I walk home to my house which isn't too far and grab six loaves of bread from my room while everyone is still asleep.

Every day, I leave food on the doorstep of the Den family, although they have no clue that I'm the person that's been doing it. I've been doing this for about a year now, working extra night shifts to make enough money to do so. My mother and sisters are asleep, and have no clue that I've been working more and giving food to this family. It's much better that way, otherwise I would have to explain to them the inexplicable. The things I have done are too complex for a widowed mother and three girls under the age of twelve to understand. I haven't even come to terms with it, and I'm the one that did it.

Last year, I found a man attempting to steal from my family. I punched him, hoping just to teach him a lesson, but I accidentally killed him by shattering his skull. I later found out that his name was Rayden Den, and he was a father of four children named Ames, Callie, Donna, and Dottie. It was a mere coincedence, but Ames was the name of the brother I had that died before his first birthday. He was only stealing from my family to feed his own, and he didn't mean any harm. I was the reason that poor man lost his life, and I am unable to let that go. I am a horrible person for doing what I did and I wish I just let him steal from us.

The guilt I have to live with is unimaginable, and I don't think anyone would ever be able to understand. That's why I can't tell my mother, Adler, Misty, or Fable. I now live such a cautious life, I don't want to have to live with any more horrible things I've done. It's gotten to a point where I can't handle hurting the littlest things. Last Thursday, I accidentally stepped on an ant on the way home from work, and I went to sleep feeling awful. I don't want to be a murderer, I never did. I can't handle living like this, and the fact that nobody knows makes it significantly worse. After dropping off the loaves of bread, I head back home.

My house is very small, only three rooms in total. My mother has one bed to herself, it's been that way for three years. My father died when I was only fourteen, my sisters were all so young. In another room, I share a bed with Fable, since she is the smallest and I am by far the biggest, and Adler and Misty share the other bed. Under my bed is where I hide all of the food I give to the Den family. The third room is where we all eat, we don't even have a bathroom. There's an outhouse near our house, but when we want to bathe, we have to do so in the creek. I take off my clothes behind a tree, clean myself in the creek, and put my old clothes back on to go inside the house.

I look at myself in the creek, barely even recognizing who I am. My black hair is a mess, I haven't made an effort to make it look nice in who knows how long. My father's hair was the same shade. His hair was always perfect, but mine has always been messy. My blue eyes match my mother's, they used to be so bright and happy but now both pairs have been made a duller blue due to grief. Young Fable's eyes are still contain that brightness, I wish I was as small and innocent as my little sister. I look at how thin I have become ever since I've been giving food to the Den's, I haven't been eating as much and it's obvious.

Soon enough, my mother, sisters, and I leave the house and head to the Town Square. Misty and Fable are having a quiet conversation, they are too young to understand the dangers of the Hunger Games. My mother and I are silent, both in fear for my life. She doesn't deserve to lose a third person in her life. Adler has always been an anxious girl, and I can tell she is nervous for me. Her name will be in the Reaping Bowl next year, which scares me greatly. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if she was Reaped. I would volunteer for her, but the rules of the Hunger Games state that a male can only volunteer for another male, not for a female.

Once we arrive at the Town Square, I hug my mother and sisters goodbye, leaving Adler for last.

"I'm going to be fine," I tell her.

I wait on one of the check-in lines, and once I reach the front I see a frail-looking man with a white collared shirt.

"Name?" He asks me, getting ready to turn the page.

"Griffin Hatchet," I respond quietly.

"Dominant Hand?" He asks.

"Left," I say as he pricks my finger. I stand towards the back of the seventeen-year-old section, just wanted the Reaping to be over.

 _After what I've done, don't I deserve to be Reaped?_

* * *

 **Huxin Dillinger, 34**

 **District Nine Escort**

The Dark Days have taken away so much.

We in the Capitol were on the luckier half, but there was still so much we lost. I sometimes wish the Rebellion never happened, I'm not one to like conflict. I've always been the nonconfrontational person ever since I was a young boy. I've never been to any of the Districts, but I'm sure they're in pretty bad shape on account of us. I wasn't involved in the war at all, I didn't want to be, but many of my friends fought in it. A couple of them even died. President Regis has practically gone insane without her father. Everyone deserves somebody to love in this cruel world.

I remember the day I said goodbye to my friends when they went to fight in the Rebellion. Rocco, Evelina, and Giana have not returned since they went to fight for the Capitol in the Rebellion. I like to think that they are still out there somewhere, possibly displaced in one of the Districts. They were fighting in the middle of Panem, which means that geographically they would end up in a district in the middle. When I signed up to be an escort, I requested either District Two, Nine, or Ten, in the hopes that I could possibly find them. We've been friends since childhood, and I hope one day we can continue that friendship.

They never meant any harm. General Regis wanted as many people as possible to fight for the Capitol to secure a win, and they just wanted to please him. Maybe they thought that it would result in a bonus of money for their family. I come from one of the richest families in the Capitol, we have more money than we could ever use. I've brought up the idea of donating some of the money to my parents, but they didn't want to. Instead they spend it on exotic food that has fattened me up since I was a young boy. Maybe I could steal some of it without them knowing and give it to the families of my friends for them to use if they get back. Hopefully when they get back they can use it.

I feel so badly for the Districts. I didn't personally agree didn't agree with what the rebels were doing, I still don't want anyone to die or get hurt. I signed up not only to find my friends, but to help a District in need. If I can bring someone home as a Victor, the District will be rewarded with food. Times are tough in the Districts, and I hope to change that for Nine. I'm going to try my best to bring whoever gets Reaped home, since I doubt there will be volunteers. Honestly, I can't understand why someone would voluntarily risk their life for the chance at fame, but there are some crazy people out there.

Today, I picked a simple outfit that shows off my style. I'm wearing a white button-down t-shirt, with a black bowtie to top it off. It's mundane, but a little on the preppy side. My pants are black, and so are my shoes. I've never really been into fashion, I'm more into the little things. The shoelaces on my shoes are a bright fuschia. I combed back my blonde hair so those in the audience can see my green eyes, my personal favorite of my features. I go through the script of what I'm supposed to say one more time in my head.

I walk onto the stage, flashing a smile to the crowd.

Welcome to District Nine's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" Pretty much no one claps in the audience besides a couple of people.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the grain you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," I look out to see if I can find Rocco, Evelina, or Giana, but there are too many people.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," I pick a name right on the top of the bowl and read it aloud.

"Taelor Breen!" A little girl emerges from the twelve-year-old section with tears in her brown eyes. I feel quite badly for her. A few of the girls next to her begin to cry as well, I'm guessing she's a well-liked kid. She stands on the stage, still crying. There is a chatter amongst the other twelve-year-olds.

"I volunteer!" Shouts one of the girls who was standing with Taelor. She is a bit on the chubby side, and has blonde hair and green eyes. She looks quite a lot like my younger sister in when she was a pre-teen. Once she walks to the stage, she gives Taelor a hug.

"What's your name?" I ask the pudgy girl.

"Anona Grane," she responds, wiping her tears.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Anona did," I pick a name right on top, once again.

"Ames Den!" A scrawny boy, also from the twelve-year-old section, walks up to the stage, literally shaking, poor kid.

"I volunteer!" I hear out of nowhere. I wasn't expecting two volunteers at all. An older boy walks briskly to the stage.

"Another one? What's your name?" Ames, the boy who was Reaped, looks very confused.

"Griffin Hatchet," he says to me, Ames seems to have no idea who he is. It's odd that he would just volunteer out of the blue.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District Nine's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," They oblige, both looking very upset.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

 _Why did these kids volunteer?_

* * *

 **Hello all! I'm more than halfway done with the Reapings now, woohoo! Anona and Griffin are the second pair to have both volunteered so far! I hoped you had as much fun reading as I did writing!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	9. District 5 Reaping

Chapter 9: Some More Glory

* * *

 **Adair Klayshon, 15**

 **District 5 Female**

I wake up, feeling lucky to be in a place somewhat free of conflict.

The Rebellion has taken a toll on everyone throughout the nation, whether you wanted to rebel or not. In my family's case, we were perfectly happy with the life the Capitol had given us. I think the rebels were somewhat unappreciative to be completely honest, but it was their choice to make, not mine. Conflict seems to be slowing down, ever since the war has ended and the Hunger Games have been announced. I've decided that I will be volunteering for the Games today. The rewards for winning would help out my family and others in Five, not to mention what a cool experience it will be.

I heard that today's Reaping will be televised, so I want to look my best and start out my journey on the right foot. My white sundress isn't very fancy, but it's the nicest thing I own. I brush my brown hair into a neat ponytail so that it is off my face, I've never liked wearing it down much anyways. The dress I am wearing is sleeveless, showing off my muscular body to anyone that sees me. I'm extremely short, but still look intimidating enough that people know not to cross me. I'm generally a nice person, but I've got a bad side that no one is brave enough to provoke. I'm more than ready to fight in these Hunger Games, and the victory will be worth everything that I've been working for.

As I walk into our kitchen, I see my brother Steal munching on some toast. He stands to greet me, even standing he is the same height as most girls. Our family is definitely not a tall one.

"Are you excited for today?" He asks me, running his hands through his platinum blonde hair. He could volunteer if he wanted to as well, seeing as he's seventeen, but I've always been the feistier one. Steal is almost too kindhearted, if that's even possible.

"I'm more than excited. This is going to be amazing!" He smiles because I smile. He's always been there to support me ever since we were little.

"I'll be rooting for you," he says, handing me a piece of toast.

"Will you come with me to practice one last time?" I've been practicing knife-throwing since I was eleven years old. During the Dark Days, Panem was a really rough environment. It was very important to me and my family that I was able to defend myself if I ever needed it. I learned how to use a bow as well, but I much prefer using knives.

"Of course," Steal watches closely as I throw knives to the bases of different trees. He helps me retrieve the knives from the trees and we go back inside. We keep all of the knives in a drawer, otherwise anyone that comes into our home would think we're about to kill them.

Most families would find it quite abnormal to have a teenager who is well-trained in both knife-throwing and archery, but they were simply taught to me in case I would ever be put in a situation where I would need it. Now that the Hunger Games have come around, I can put these skills to use and to make sure that my family never struggles with money again. It's been Steal, my father, and me for as long as I can remember, considering my mother died when I was a baby and Steal was a toddler. They've both done so much for me and now I get the chance to do something for them, which is a chance I am more than willing to take.

District Five is very different from District Two. When I was thirteen, my father got a job in Five, since they needed for people to work in the factory because there was a shortage of electricity in the Capitol. We made the move along with the Maylor family and I think it was a good decision. The only thing I dislike about my new district is that there is a lower percentage of those that supported the Capitol during the Rebellion. Many people here think my choice to support them is strange, but I personally believe that it was odd of them to rebel in a world where the Capitol has done so much for us. The consequences they face for rebelling were enough to make them not try to do so again.

I walk to the Reaping with my father and Steal, not saying much. It looks like it's about to rain but not yet. I spend the whole walk wondering what the Hunger Games are going to be like. The Capitol hasn't said anything much about them besides than only one person can come out alive. I feel I have good odds of being that person, but how many people will I kill to win the title of the Victor? Will any of the other contestants even be capable of making a kill? After all, we're all just kids, and I wouldn't consider myself to be a normal teenager. What are the children that don't know how to kill someone going to do?

I arrive at the Town Square with my brother and we get on a line to check in. Steal goes first as a woman with dirty blonde hair pricks his finger and places it down next to his name. Steal hugs me goodbye as he heads to the seventeen-year-old section, and I step up to be pricked.

"Name?" She asks me, her voice coming out a bit lower than I expected.

"Adair Klayshon," The woman looks relieved that she doesn't have to flip any pages since my name is just above Steal's.

"Dominant Hand?"

"Right," I respond, although my brother is left-handed. I barely even feel a prick. I head to the fifteen-year-old section, waiting for the moment when I can volunteer.

 _How is this journey going to go?_

* * *

 **Ampere "Amp" Hammerstein, 14**

 **District Five Male**

When you think about it, so much of our world revolves around science.

It's the type of thing that no matter how much you learn about it, the only thing you want to do is continue to ask more questions. The more you understand about it, the more your curiosity grows. There's so many different aspects to science, from physics to biology and so much more. I know it may sound stereotypical coming from someone living in a place where science is constantly around me, but I can't get enough of it. I've borrowed as many books as possible from the public library, but there aren't too many options. The rebellion has wiped out a lot of our District, taking too many lives with it.

I like to think my parents are still alive somewhere, but I truly have no idea. They were rebels and disappeared during the Dark Days. When I woke up one morning, they left me a note that they had to help with the Rebellion, and that they love me very much but they had to leave. I was soon placed in the foster care system, living with families that didn't really want me. I hold on to the thought that they are out there somewhere, and that maybe one day they will return. After all, the Rebellion has ended, so maybe they will come home soon. I remember what it was like to have loving parents, and I hope I will be able to see them again.

Though I do enjoy school, I don't enjoy my fellow students very much. They like to make fun of me for basically no reason. I can't control the fact that I'm short, or that my arms are hairy, or that no one truly loves me. Something else out there is in charge of those decisions, so I should not be blamed for it's choices. People even try to pick fights with me for it, which I personally think is uncalled for, but it has made me stronger. I used to be a boy who was timid and afraid, but I'm not anymore. I'm not afraid to be bold, and it's satisfying to feel that way. I wish I could tell my younger self how I would be stronger than I ever thought I could be.

The only two people I truly trust in this world are my best friends Farold and Reggie. Ever since we met, we've always stuck by each other and looked out for one another. The two of them have always been the people I turn to when I need someone to talk to. We defend eachother when we're getting picked on, we help eachother with schoolwork, and we trust eachother with our biggest secrets - just as good friends should. Farold lost his older brother to the Dark Days, so he understands what it's like to have someone disappear. However, I haven't lost my parents just yet. Reggie is supportive of both of us, but since his family was Pro-Capitol, they were pretty much unscathed from the war.

I don't even bother saying goodbye to my foster parents as they ignore me most of the time anyways. They only opted to care for me because of the money it makes them. On the way out of my house, I look in a mirror, smiling as my big brown eyes smile back out me. I adjust my brown hair, making sure it looks good in case I am televised during the Reaping. I don't really know what these Hunger Games will be like, but I did hear that there would be a handsome reward for the Victor. I wonder who from our District will compete for the Crown, and whether or not they will be the one who comes home victorious.

Last night before I went to bed I was wondering what it would be like to go into the games. I've always been a major risk taker, just like my parents. They risked their lives in the hope of getting a better life for me and the other children of Panem. I've gone back and fourth between volunteering or not for the past few weeks, since I know that if I won the Hunger Games the prize money would be worth it. This morning when I woke up, my instincts told me to follow through with my decision and volunteer for the hunger games today. This fire inside of me tells me that it is an oppurtunity of a lifetime.

I meet up with Farold and Reggie, whose foster parents each live a few houses down from mine. We chat aimlessly about the crazy conspiracy theories we have about that crazy President Regis. Personally, I don't think her father is dead. It's always a possibility that he just wanted to get away from her because he knew she was going insane. His death could've been staged or faked, you never know. My friends agree that my theory is somewhat feasable, but have their own ideas about our President. It always makes me laugh when I think about the fact that she's just a couple of years older than me and that she thinks she knows how to run a country.

I head to a check-in line with my friends that isn't very crowded. A woman in a dark green sweater has the pricking device in her hands, ready to prick our fingers. Reggie goes first and says goodbye as he heads to the fifteen-year-old section, and I go next.

"Name?" She asks me, her brown eyes hollow with boredom.

"Ampere Hammerstein, but everybody calls me Amp."

"Did I ask for that information? No. Dominant Hand?" She's clearly not having a good day, but that doesn't mean she has to take it out on me.

"Right," I respond, annoyed. She pricks my finger and places it next to my name. It is then Farold's turn and after that we head to the fourteen-year-old section.

 _What are these games going to be like?_

* * *

 **Lewin Quaker, 30**

 **District Five Escort**

I'm sick and tired of being the forgetable one.

My sisters are all such accomplished people, and then there's me. I'm the only son, and I know I am a disappointment to my parents. At family gatherings, I'm always just there. Sometimes I feel like I'm an outsider to the family. Everyone else has done something amazing and all I've done is sit around and do literally nothing. I'm not even the oldest or the youngest - I was born right in the middle. Growing up, Rosabel and Cosimia were always in charge, while Kaira and Suri got to be babied and coddled. I never got any special priveleges, I was just me. Not even being the only boy seemed to count as a way to make me stand out.

I always feel so worthless at any family event, everyone else has done so many exciting things. Rosabel already has a husband and two kids. I've always wanted a family of my own. Cosimia fought in the Rebellion for the Capitol, and she survived when many others could not. She is a very strong person. Kaira has created a fashion line, she's kind of a big deal. Suri is in medical school and is on her way to becoming a doctor. It's hard for me to watch the people around me succeed in various areas while I sit and waste away. If I had the work ethic to actually do something with my life, I bet there would be something I could do.

It doesn't really help much that I tend to be a lazy person. I don't really have motivation to do anything besides stay home and eat - maybe that's why I'm a little bit overweight. I've spent most of my life being unemployed since I was lucky enough to come from a wealthy family, but I've done a few short-term jobs at different points in my life. During the Dark Days I just sort of sat back and relaxed while everyone else fought for Panem's life. I haven't had interest in getting a job since my teenage years, I've just lost passion for doing everything. How come I'm the only person in my family that's developed this trait?

I took this job as an escort simply because it could make me well-known without having to do anything besides show two kids around a place I've known my whole life. I barely even have to do that since they're not aloud to roam the Capitol freely. Call me a bad person, but I don't really care if they make it out alive or not. I'm only going to have met them for a few days, so what does it really matter if they're gone? Sure, if they win that would be really cool, but that's up to them to want to do so. Maybe the tributes won't want to get home, after all they are having to live in the districts, which is not the nicest of places.

My outfit is simple, as I didn't feel like putting much effort into it. I wear a light blue button down shirt, with bright yellow buttons instead of a boring color. My khakis are tan but have matching yellow embroidery, tying the outfit together. I wear black loafers and socks with the same shade of yellow. My blonde hair is tied back into a low ponytail and my my shirt makes my blue eyes pop. I've always had my own type of style, liking to focus on the little things instead of making a major statement. As I walk onto the stage, I notice how boring the clothes of the citizens of District Five are.

Regardless, I start the Reaping.

"Welcome to District Five's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" A couple of people clap but not too many. I guess they're not big fans of the Capitol.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the power you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," The audience looks torn - some look like they could kill me at any moment, while others seem to think what I am saying is good.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," I pick a name right on towards the very bottom of the bowl and read it aloud.

"Damini-"

"I volunteer!" I hear a shout coming from the fifteen year old section. A girl who is notably short charges to the stage, looking confident and ready to fight. She looks intimidating despite her height, and like killing someone would be easy for her.

"How exciting! And what is your name?" I ask her, her cold blue eyes staring into my soul.

"Adair Klayshon," She responds, her voice coming out just as tough as I expected. This girl seems to have a shot at winning this thing.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Adair did," This time, I choose a name towards the top of the bowl.

"Barrak-"

"I volunteer!" A second shout comes, this time from the fourteen year old section. Another child, short for his height, makes his way to the stage, not looking as confident as the first, but still ready to face the games.

"Another one? What's your name?" I say to the young boy with brown hair.

"Ampere Hammerstein. But everybody calls me Amp," He responds.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District Five's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," They do as I say, I can see both of them have a strong grip.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor?"

 _Did both of them just volunteer to die?_

* * *

 **Hello everybody! I'm so sorry for the update drought, I've been sick and unable to write for the past week. But I'm back and better than ever, presenting you with Adair and Amp!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	10. District 10 Reaping

Chapter Ten: A Busy Mind

* * *

 **Cheyenne McKeel, 18**

 **District Ten Female**

I wake up, knowing I need to get ready quickly.

It's the morning of the Reaping, and that means that McKeel's Meats will have tons of customers. My parents and I own a little butcher shop across the street from our house, and although it isn't a big Capitol business, people love to buy meat from us. We're extra popular nowadays, considering not many people in Ten want the Capitol to gain money. They'd rather see money go to a local family, and in my opinion, our meet is just as good, if not even better than the Capitol's. That's all thanks to my parents. I don't often deal with the meet itself besides giving it to the customers.

I quickly change out of my pajamas, and brush my brown hair. I just got it cut a few weeks ago, and it's about shoulder length. I much prefer it this way, it's far more manageable. I look at my blue eyes in the mirror for a quick moment and then I am out the door. It's a beautiful day today, but not a happy one. Someone from Ten is being sent off to their death today, maybe even two people. I just hope I'm not that person. I cross the street and make my way into the Butcher Shop. I wave to a few of the daily customers in line that I see at least once a week. I always enjoy meeting new people that order food from the shop.

I think I woke up late this morning, because the line for meats is out the door. I quickly work to make sure each customer gets exactly what they need, while trying to be as friendly as possible. My train of thought has always been that it's not what work you do, but it's how you do it. If you're a rude cashier, people may not want to come back, which makes the business lose money. If you're nice to them, customers will almost always return. I've been in charge of working the cash register at McKeel's Meats since the day I could count, which was fairly early for my age. My parents homeschooled me so that I could help with business more often.

Soon enough the line dies down, as I pride myself on being a fast cashier. My mother walks out of the room where she and my father prepare the meats, her blonde hair is messy from her hard work.

"Sweetie, we have some deliveries we need you to make. The first one is at the Elmerick's house, and I have a list of the rest. There's four or five others," The Clay and Evie Elmerick have been two of my closest friends since I was a little girl.

"I'm on it Mom," I respond, taking the packages into my hands and heading on my way. I am at the Elmerick's home very quickly. They live fairly close to our butcher shop.

I knock on the door and it is opened by Clay, who greets me with a smile.

"Special delivery!" I say, giving him the package of meat that his family ordered.

"Thanks," He responds, taking the package and beckoning for me to come in.

"Sorry but I can't stay today. I've got to drop these off," I say, looking down at the other packages of meat.

"Why don't I come with you? Many hands make light work," Clay often comes with me to make deliveries, and it does make it much easier to carry things.

"I'll come too," Evie says, brushing her blonde hair behind her ears.

"Okay, thanks for the help guys," I say.

"Anytime. It's actually kind of fun!" Clay says, being the positive person that he is.

Clay, Evie and I get through the first few houses on the list rather quickly, but none of us know where the Baines' house is. I spot a redheaded woman walking down the street, and decide to ask her if she knows where to go.

"Hello Ma'am, by any chance would you know where the Baines' house is? I have some meat to deliver to them, but I can't find it," I often ask kind looking people nearby if I can't find a house, they usually help me out.

"Sure! I'm a friend of their family. It's a few houses down, the cream colored one," I look down the street and think I know where to go.

"Thank you Ma'am!" I respond cheerfully. Evie knocks on the door of the house and we drop off the meats.

I walk to the Reaping with my friends, and Clay is his usual talkative self, joking the entire way. Evie is usually the quiet one, but today she is dead silent.

"You okay?" I ask my friend.

"I'm just nervous, that's all," Evie replys. I'll admit I'm a bit nervous too, but my chances of getting picked are so small. I'll only have to go through this today and then I'm done. She has three more years after today.

"You'll be fine, there are so many girls in Ten. I doubt you'll get chosen," I say, trying to convince myself of the same thing.

"Me too, but there's just this small feeling inside of me that it could still be me, you know?" Evie says.

"You won't have to worry about it much longer, we're already here," Clay says with a laugh.

My friends and I walk to one of the check-in lines and soon reach the front. We reach the front and find a man with brown hair sitting at the table with a needle in his hand. Clay goes first and flinches a bit when he is pricked by the needle.

"Name?" He asks me, his blue eyes staring into my soul.

"Cheyenne McKeel," I respond sweetly, but he rolls his eyes.

"Dominant Hand?" He asks me, weary from having to do this all morning.

"Right," I respond, as he flips from the _E_ surnames to the _M_ ones. I am directed to the eighteen-year-old female section, and I hug Clay and Evie goodbye and wish them luck.

 _What if one of us gets picked and has to kill someone?_

* * *

 **Colt Falcon, 13**

 **District Ten Male**

"Wake up sweetheart, it's time for the Reaping!" I hear my mother say.

I really don't want to go to the Reaping today, this Hunger Games thing seems really scary. I don't want to have to fight for my life, I don't think any kid would.

"Hi Mommy," I respond to her, she smiles at me.

"Hey sweetie, how did you sleep?" Her blue eyes look shiny and happy to see me. I'm not too well liked in school, so my mother is one of my best friends. Kids at school think I'm weird although I really don't know why.

"Good," I say. I'm glad I didn't have any nightmares about the Reaping. Two nights ago I had a nightmare that I was Reaped and it was very scary.

"Time to get dressed," My mom says, leaving the room. For today's Reaping, I pick out a white shirt and some grey pants. It takes me a while to button it up, but I'm proud of myself for being able to do it all by myself. I look in my mirror and adjust my blonde curls, my pale blue eyes looking right back at me. I slip on some shoes and I head into the kitchen to eat breakfast with my parents and my sister Marybeth.

Everyone else is already there. My mother is cooking breakfast, which smells like eggs and bacon, and my father is reading the newspaper. A photo of President Regis is on the cover, she seems intimidating and scary. Marybeth is studying for something, but I don't know what.

My mother gets breakfast ready and puts mine on a blue plate. I make sure to thank her before digging in. The scrambled eggs taste so good and the bacon is well done which is just how I like it. We all make small talk, but nobody is saying much. Everyone is really nervous for the Reaping. Marybeth and I could potentially both get picked, even though the odds are very small. My father has told me that it's basically not possible that we would both get Reaped. However, I'm still worried for both my sake and hers. She's always been such a kind sister because she makes time for me even with her busy schedule.

"Do you want to do some flashcards Colt?" My mother asks me. We usually do them every day and today is no different.

"Okay," I respond, she is already getting them out.

The first one I receive says seven multiplied by five. After a few seconds, the answer comes to me.

"Thirty-five?" I say, not totally sure. My mother's grin indicates to me that I got it right.

The next card reads eight times three. This one I know almost right away.

"Twenty-four," I respond confidently. My mother nods, telling me I'm on a streak. My mom shows me two more card, both of which I complete rather quickly. It makes me happy when I get the answers right.

My mother holds up one that I always struggle with. For some reason, I just have a mental block on what seven times nine is.

"Sixty-Four?" I say, but my mom shakes her head telling me I'm wrong.

"No Sweetie, it's sixty-three. On the bright side, you were pretty close," my mom says cheerfully. I know she's only trying to make me feel better, but I feel like an idiot. All the other thirteen-year-old boys in Ten can multiply simple numbers.

"Why can't I do anything right?" I say, putting my head in my hands.

"That's not true. You can do so many amazing things Colt. More than you know. Doing multiplication right doesn't show who you are," My mother has always supported me throughout my life no matter what.

I got kicked in the head by a horse when I was six years old. I remember the fiery look in the horse's amber eyes as it went to kick me. All I wanted to do was pet it, I didn't want any trouble. We're taught in Ten that animals are caring creatures that provide for us, but that horse didn't seem very nice. It left my train of thought to be somewhat slow, and my brain development is behind most other children my age. Marybeth and my parents support and love me just the same as any other child. Sometimes I wish I was a little smarter, but my parents say that being myself is the best person I can be.

"Thanks Mommy. Are we going to go to the Reaping yet or is it not until later?" I ask, hoping it's later in the day.

"It's actually starting soon, we should get going," My mother says. My family and I walk out the door, not wanting to face reality.

Our walk to the Reaping is fairly quiet, nobody is saying much. Even Marybeth who is usaually chatty is quiet, and that doesn't happen much. Our house isn't a far walk from the Town Square, as we are actually considered on the wealthier side of the district. We don't have much, but my parents have never struggled to keep my sister and I fed. We arrive at the Town Square, which is usually booming with excitement. Today it almost seems to look sad.

I step into one of the lines with my sister, and we reach the front very soon. A not-so-nice looking man in a white collared shirt sits with a big book in front of him. Marybeth gets her finger pricked before me, and then it is my turn.

"Name?" The man asks me, looking bored of his job.

"Colt Falcon," I respond, my name is right above Marybeth's in this man's big book.

"Dominant Hand?" He asks, but what does dominant mean? I panic, looking to my sister for advice. She points to her right hand, so that's what I say.

"Right," I try to sound confident, but I doubt I do. I hug my sister goodbye as she heads to the seventeen-year-old section and I head to the thirteen-year-old section.

 _Why does the President want kids to die?_

* * *

 **Nagan Troublefield, 28**

 **District Ten Escort**

I don't think the battlescars will ever fade.

At this point, it's all I can think about. I never realized that choosing to do one thing would take away everything that ever made me happy. It's like a dark stormcloud has come into my mind and no sunlight is able to come through. No matter how many different therapists I've tried visiting, nothing seems to help the sun come out. Even going to support groups with others who have had the same problems as me doesn't work. I'm traumatized by the things I have seen, and there's no escape. For the past four years I've done nothing but search for a way out of this, but nothing seems to help.

I fought for the Capitol in the Rebellion, not knowing how much I would be scarred by it. I just wanted to make some money and be loyal to my country, I didn't want kill people and watch them die. I was an artist before the Rebellion, but once it came into full swing not many people had enough spare money to buy my works, even in the Capitol. I was making next to nothing and could barely survive. I didn't really have a choice but to fight, and I wasn't dumb enough to rebel. I just wish the whole Rebellion never happened, it has taken away every ounce of the life I once had, leaving me with a new one that I don't want. If people would've had the money to buy my paintings, then I wouldn't be so traumatized.

I can't get the images of the men and women that I killed out of my head, and I'm worried that I won't ever be able to. I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder a few months ago. The Capitol makes medicine for so many different diseases, but I wish they could make some sort of pill that would make me forget everything I've done since I was enlisted. I can't handle the pain of knowing how many innocent people's lives I took away. I can't live my own life while realizing that those people's friends and families have holes in their hearts because of me. Most of the time I simply sit alone, wallowing in the sorrows of my past. I don't deserve to live because the people I killed don't get to.

I wanted to be an escort to try to save lives of other innocent people who did nothing wrong in the hopes that they will be able to live the lives they deserved. Since I fought throughout the northern boarders of Panem, I didn't want to be anywhere near there, so I requested not to be the escort for Districts Seven, Six, or Eight. I couldn't have gotten luckier, since I ended up with the sourthernmost district of all - District Ten. I figured that if I had something else to focus on besides my PTSD, that maybe it would start to go away. If I could bring someone home and save someone's life, maybe this could be the cure. If it isn't, I don't know what is. At this point, it's my last resort.

I look down at the outfit I am wearing, I've been saving up for weeks for an outfit that will help me to make the best first impression on Panem possible. My button down shirt is very colorful, with shades of green, yellow, orange, and pink. It reminds me of a beautiful hibiscus I once painted. It was one of the most expensive pieces I've ever sold. My tan pants and forest green blazer make the outfit a complete look. I think that it compliments my dark skin nicely. I'm glad I was able to find nice clothes, it's usually somewhat of a challenge for me since I am so tall. I'm nearly a foot above average height, and with my lanky build, finding clothing is never easy.

I walk onto the stage to begin the Reaping.

"Welcome to District Ten's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" You could nearly hear a pin drop in the audience.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the livestock you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," I wouldn't personally say that we're completely reunited yet, but I have to follow the script I was given.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," Many of the girls in the audience look tense and afraid.

"Cheyenne Mckeel!" A tall girl in the eighteen-year-old section's jaw drops, and she looks to be in utter disbelief. She walks onto the stage, glaring at me. Technically, it is my fault that she's here because I'm the one who chose her name.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Cheyenne?" The crowd is silent, and I notice Cheyenne clench her fists in anger.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Cheyenne did," The suspense seems to be killing these teens as I choose a name from the top of the bowl.

"Colt Falcon!" At first, I am unable to identify which boy is going into the games. After a couple of seconds, all eyes are on a chubby thirteen-year-old who doesn't look like he understands what's going on. As he is walking up to the stage, he breaks down in tears, unable to stop his crying.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Colt?" There is once again no reaction from the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District Ten's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," Colt still continues to cry, and Cheyenne looks like she doesn't know how to handle it. She shakes his hand regardless.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

 _Can I save one of them?_

* * *

 **Hi everyone! I'm officially on summer break, and I hope to start producing chapters a bit faster. Only a couple Reapings left to go!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	11. District 12 Reaping

Chapter 11: A Lingering Hope

* * *

 **Evelyn Harewood, 16**

 **District Twelve Female**

I wake up, different fabrics astrewn all over my room.

Our family was never much concerned about neatness in a home, we always believed it was the people inside that mattered and not the things surrounding them. I don't have much, but I have my siblings and Aunt Mae and that's enough. Twelve was badly effected by the Rebellion. Some entire families were wiped out, I just feel lucky to be alive. I was one of the rebels, even though most of us were killed. I feel as though I've been given a second chance at life, and the same thing goes for my brother Nate. Though we lost our parents to the Rebellion, it was their choice to fight in it and I respect that. Unfortunately, their deaths seem to have been in vein, considering that the Capitol is still in control.

Once my parents died, Nate, Nellie and I moved in with our aunt Mae. Nellie is only a toddler, and Nate and I couldn't take care of her or eachother all by ourselves. Mae was my father's sister, and we've always been really close with her. She had children of her own, even though she always wanted them. She was overjoyed to take us in when we asked her if we could move in. She owns a tailor shop that's in the Merchant's Village, so hasn't struggled much for money compared to many others in the district. She's really talented at fixing and making clothes, and I love walking around town and seeing people sporting outfits that she created. It really warms my heart.

I find the outfit I planned on wearing for the Reaping today, specially made for this occasion by Aunt Mae. She figured that such an awful day could be made better by a nice new outfit for all three of us children. My blouse is made of a soft cream-colored material, and my grey skirt is also very comfortable. I've always been one to dress for comfort instead of style and this outfit stays true to that. Aunt Mae has been going through a phase where she really enjoys making sweaters, so she made me a light blue one for today. I brush out my long blonde waves, noticing how well the sweater matches my eyes. I am tall for my age and have very long arms, and I'm happy that my custom-made sweater is the perfect length.

I head to the kitchen to eat breakfast with my family. Everyone is pretty much silent during the meal, as we are all very nervous for Nate and I. We have had a horrible hunch that everyone Reaped for the Hunger Games would be rebels, and that would put us at risk. Our only saving grace is that so many others in Twelve were part of the Rebellion. We live in the worst conditions of any district in Panem, so of course we would make an attempt at trying to get a better life. I don't want Nellie to grow up in a world where her life is controlled by a bunch of rich snobs from the Capitol that don't know anything about her. I don't want her to have to go through the fear of a Reaping every year.

There are clouds in the sky as we walk to the Reaping, and the whole District is quiet. Everyone feels the nerves and the pain of the Reaping, since we are the district least likely for the Capitol to allow to win. Even though everyone is supposed to have a fair chance in these games, I feel like the Capitol will still try to make for a biased outcome. I wouldn't be surprised if the Victor comes from Districts One or Two, considering they supported the Capitol during the Rebellion more than any of the rest of us did. Nate is lucky - if he doesn't get Reaped today, he's safe for the rest of his life from these games. I've still got two more years to worry about after today, if I don't get Reaped now.

Once we arrive in the Town Square, there is an eerie feel to the district before the Reaping begins. Nellie and Aunt Mae have to leave Nate and I but I know they don't want to.

"Have fun!" Little Nellie says. She's too young to understand the meaning of the Hunger Games.

"We will," Nate says to her, giving me a look in the blue eyes we both share. He doesn't know what to say to her, but that will do for now.

"Good luck, although I'm sure you two will be fine," Aunt Mae hugs all three of us kids and we wave goodbye as she takes Nellie by the hand and walks away, leaving it to be just my brother and I.

"See you in a few," He says to me, waving goodbye as he heads to his friends and I head to mine. Nate has never been a very affectionate person.

I meet up with Ivy and Amelia, two of my closest friends. Ivy lives right nextdoor to me, her parents own the Blacksmith shop. It's nice having a friend live so close, considering that Amelia lives so far away in the Seam. We get on one of the many lines and wait our turn to check in. A woman with cold blue eyes stares us down once we reach the front. Amelia checks in first, and Ivy goes next, flinching when her finger is pricked.

"Name?" The woman says to me. Her voice sounds nasal, almost like she has a cold.

"Evelyn Harewood," I say, and she flips to the middle of the book.

"Dominant Hand?" She asks, brushing her brown hair out of her eyes.

"Right," I say, and she pricks my finger.

Amelia and I hug Ivy goodbye, reassuring her she will be alright. Since she's fifteen and we are sixteen, we must stand in different sections.

I stand with Amelia in the sixteen-year-old female section, trying to stay positive.

 _Which rebel will the Capitol try to steal away?_

* * *

 **Erik Auger, 17**

 **District Twelve Male**

I wake up in a small room with all of my fellow guild members.

I remember when I first came here, just a scared little eight-year-old who couldn't handle the abuse in the district home. The people around me taught me everything I know and made me into the young man I am today. That young man is one of the best thieves in all of District Twelve. After growing up in the home, and being treated so horribly, I knew I had to get out. Joining a band of thieves wasn't totatlly ideal at first, but now they are the only family I've ever known. I'm thankful they took me in as a boy, because they don't normally let people join the guild until they are at least thirteen. I guess they saw something special in me.

Although my guild is able to steal everything we need to survive, we are far from wealthy. While others are getting dressed up for today's Reaping, I don't have anything fancy to wear. My grey shirt and black pants I was able to buy with some pickpocketed money, as they were not expensive whatsoever. The black sneakers I am wearing I stole from the Shoe Shop in the Merchant's Village last year while the owner was distracted by a rich customer who was buying way too many pairs of shoes. My feet were getting cramped in the shoes I used to wear since I'm still growing, so I needed some sort of change. I felt so guilty because I'm sure they were expensive, but I couldn't handle the pain my old shoes were causing me and I needed new ones.

I walk outside of the tiny cottage I share with the other members of my guild, realizing that I have to find something to eat. I've grown up experiencing many days without food, but the pain of hunger is still just the same as it's always been. Even back when I lived in the home, we only got two small meals a day, and it never felt like enough. When I heard about the Hunger Games and didn't know what it actually meant, I thought for sure our district would win since our district is the poorest. When I realized that you'd have to kill to claim the Victory, I wasn't as sure we would come out on top. But now, stomach growls loudly and I know what I'm going to have to do.

I'm going to have to steal my breakfast. This happens all the time, so I'm quite the expert at it. Nobody in the guild actually works, so stealing is the only way that we can survive. The guilt of stealing never truly goes away, but I have no other option. The best place to steal from is usually the Town Square, but there's nothing there today because of the Reaping. I occasionally go to the Merchant's Village, but it's a bit more of a challenge to get away with. However, I have to say that I'm pretty talented at stealing, so I can always find a way to get what I need.

The Merchant's Village is a far walk away from the part of town where our guild lives, in a secluded part of the Seam. I come up with the perfect scheme I will use to steal my morning meal on the way there since I have nothing better to do. I don't have any family to see or friends to catch up with, the only people I talk to are the people in my guild. However, I'm not particularly close with any specific person in it. I've been a lone wolf all my life, and I much prefer it that way. In my opinion, any relationship you make with anyone can only lead to a false trust in them and they'll let you down. That's why I'd rather be on my own, so the person in charge of my fate is only me.

Once I arrive at the Merchant's Village, I head straight to the Bakery to steal myself some breakfast. There is only one other customer in the store, and the only employee looks to be a young girl about thirteen years old. This will be like stealing candy from a baby! My plan is to knock over some loaves of bread on a nearby shelf, make the girl clean it up, and steal a loaf while she isn't looking. I pretend to look like I don't know where I'm going, and I knock over a brown basket filled with bread. The young girl comes over, her platinum blonde hair in a messy ponytail.

"Oh no! Are you alright?" The girl says to me.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Sorry for making such a mess," I respond as I act like I'm helping clean up.

"It's fine. I'll help you clean up," She says, just as I suspected she would.

"Thanks," I say, as she picks up the loaves of bread, thoroughly inspecting each one to make sure they are still clean. As she is doing this, I stuff a loaf of bread into my baggy pants, hoping she won't notice. I casually walk out of the Bakery, and I now can finally eat.

The Reaping isn't far from the Merchant's Village, so by the time I'm finished eating my breakfast I'm at the Town Square. I head to one of the check-in lines, hoping to not have to wait for too long. A woman in a cream-colored blouse awaits me, eyes nearly staring into my soul.

"Name?" The woman asks, wiping her nose.

"Erik Auger," I respond, hoping she'll find it spelled correctly in the book. It pisses me off when people spell my name with a _C_.

"Dominant Hand?" She asks me. I smile when I see that the book in her hand has my name spelled the right way.

"Right," I respond as she pricks my finger, drawing blood. After she gets my fingerprint, I am directed to the section where all the other seventeen-year-old boys are standing. Most of the others my age are talking to their friends, but I stand alone.

 _Who will lose a friend today?_

* * *

 **Infinity Winterton, 30**

 **District Twelve Escort**

The Capitol is a very irrational place.

They always seem to be so unfair to those living in the Districts, which I simply don't understand. We're all people, we just live in different places of Panem. The Capitol treats those in the Districts like animals, and I've always pitied them. No one deserves to work long shifts and still barely be able to feed their family. I wasn't surprised when they decided to rebel, considering how badly people from here treat them. In my opinion, they're people, and they deserve a better life. If it was the other way around and we were the ones struggling, I know we in the Capitol would want the same things that they do. The way that we treat them is cruel and unfair.

I've seen the difference between the lifestyle of a Capitolite compared to the life of someone in the Districts. I'm a single mother, and I have a two year old daughter named Verena. She gets to grow up never worry about her next meal, being able to spend ample time with her mother and grandparents, and she is going to be given every single luxury that I will be able to afford for her. Children growing up outside of the Capitol aren't lucky enough to be given those oppurtunities, and that really bothers me. Every kid deserves an equal chance at success in their life, no matter what part of our nation they are living in. I recognize that Verena has many advantages that kids elsewhere do not.

I've always wanted to help out in the Rebellion, but I was worried that it would result in losing the good relationship I have with my parents, and I didn't want to risk that. I have always been an extremely family oriented person, and I am too close with my parents to jeopardize that. Not only do I love them very much, but they also support me financially to raise Verena, and I need the money. People in the Districts often believe that life in the Capitol is perfect, but we've been struggling throughout the Rebellion as well, just not as bad as the Districts. My parents were big Capitol supporters, so I never told them that I supported the rebels. I've never told anyone.

I figured being an escort might be the only way that I can help the rebels in a subtle way. I requested for Twelve, since almost everyone that lives there is rebellious, and I am glad that I earned that district. I want to help one of the rebels win the Hunger Games, as I feel that this would make some sort of a difference in Panem. If the people of our nation were all exposed to the thoughts and views of a rebel, maybe it would help some of the Capitolites change their ways. The moment I heard about these games I was worried it would be a death sentence for any rebel that was Reaped and I wanted to change that. These children deserve more than to die in their teenege years.

I look down at the outfit that I am wearing, happy with what I chose. I'm wearing a black velvet tank top with a silk blue and black plaid skirt. I've always preferred to dress for comfort over style, and both materials fit the bill perfectly. Although naturally brown, I have indigo streaks in my hair. My eyes are more of a deep brown, barely a shade lighter than black. My hair is straight, but I got it curled for today's Reaping. The curls are already beginning to fall out of my hair, but I don't really mind.

I walk onto the stage, thousands of pairs of eyes staring at me.

"Welcome to District Twelve's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" I was told to say it with enthusiam by President Regis, but looking at the faces of these people and seeing how much they have lost makes it challenging.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the mining you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," Angry murmurs from the crowd arise, but they are quieted down by the threat of armed peacekeepers.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," I feel guilty choosing a name for somebody at risk of death, but I know I will do my best to help them.

"Evelyn Harewood!" I call out to the audience. All eyes are on a tall blonde from the sixteen-year-old section, who looks worried and afraid. She looks to be almost having trouble walking up to the stage simply because she is in total shock. Evelyn looks nauseous on stage, and I feel badly for her.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Evelyn?" No one moves or says a thing.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Evelyn did," I pick a name towards the bottom of the bowl.

"Erik Auger!" A boy with jet black hair emerges from the seventeen-year-old section. He walks to the stage without a fuss, and I'm having trouble reading his reaction on his face. If he's sad, nervous, angry, or really anything, he isn't showing it whatsoever.

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Erik?" There is once again no reaction from the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District Twelve's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," The two tributes do as I say.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

 _Do they share the same thoughts of wanting to rebel as I do?_

* * *

 **Hi guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If anyone in here can spot the reference in here to a popular musical that I love very much, I will be really happy! Hope you're all having a great summer!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	12. District 6 Reaping

Chapter 12: A Tainted Future

* * *

 **Kia Davidson, 15**

 **District Six Female**

"Hey Kia! What's a six letter word that is used to warn someone?"

My little brother Harley is going through a phrase where he is obsessed with crossword puzzles. I myself am pretty good with words, and I do love a good challenge.

"Do you know any of the letters in the word?" I ask him, hoping it will give me some sort of hint.

"The fourth letter is a _G_. It's not the most common letter and that's why I'm stuck," I know the word almost right away.

"The answer is danger," I say with a smile. Harley's deep brown eyes light up and we writes it down.

"Thank you," He says, getting up to hug me. Despite being only eight, he is wise beyond his years and I am very close with him.

"Any time little bro," I say, heading into my room.

I've always enjoyed anything educational, and school is always the highlight of my day. Well, spending time with my little brothers comes pretty close to that. English has always been my favorite subject, and my nose is constantly in a book. I think History is really cool as well, I love learning about the people and things that came before me. I get that trait from my parents, both of them were huge history buffs growing up. I like Math and Science, but not nearly as much as my two favorite subjects. Math has never came easily to me, but I worked hard to understand it. Science is just too complicated for me to keep up with. Regardless, I enjoy every minute of learning.

I get changed into my Reaping outfit, almost curious of what the Reaping will be like. Never in my life have I experience anything like it. I get on a white dress that was given to me for my fourteenth birthday, with white flats I got for my birthday this year. I tie my brown hair into a high ponytail in order for it to stay out of my face during the day. My brown eyes have a bit of a green tint to them, which I inherited from my mother. Mom always tells me I'm prettier than her best painting, but I've never agreed with her on that. I'm far from graceful, and there isn't anything so special about my looks. That's my opinion on the matter despite my best friend Lorry always telling me otherwise.

"Look what you've done! You ruined my crossword puzzle! I've been working on this for an hour!" I hear Harley scream in an upset tone. I head downstairs and see Axle with a pen in his hand. Axle has written random words that do not fit all over Harley's puzzle. Of the three of us kids, Axle is always the one causing conflict.

"Axle, why would you do that?" I try to say in my best authoritative voice.

"I felt like it," He responds, a smirk in his deep brown eyes.

"Can you apoligize to Harley? You've made him very upset," I say as tears are streaming down Harley's cheeks.

"Sorry," Axle says before walking away.

I quickly hug my parents and brothers goodbye before heading out to Lorry's house. Lorry has been my best friend for years, we've stuck by eachother through everything. The death of her mother last year was really hard on her, but I was there for her through every step of the way. I assume that her boyfriend Lex will be walking to the Reaping with us, since those two are almost always together. Lex and I get along quite well, and I don't mind hanging out with both of them at the same time. The two of them never make me feel like a third wheel. I never talked to Lex before he started dating Lorry, but every since they've been together I consider him a good friend of mine.

The walk to the Reaping with Lorry and Lex is eerily quiet. Considering that Lorry is always the converstaion starter, and I'm by far the quieter one, I feel clueless as to what to do or if I should even speak. From what I've heard about the Hunger Games, at least one person from our District will be sent off to death today. I'm not too nervous for the Reaping today, because I know that the chances of me being the one Reaped are very small. I'm surprised that she's so nervous, but I still can see where she's coming from. It seems everyone in Six is as nervous as she is, and it feels strange that I don't share the flying saucers going spinning around in everyone's stomachs.

Once we arrive at the Reaping, the three of us wait in one of the check-in lines for our blood to be drawn. Lex goes first, since he is by far the bravest with this type of thing, and is sent to the fifteen-year-old boy section. He waves goodbye to me, and kisses Lorry, much to the dismay of the black-haired man that wants to take her blood.

"You're holding up the line," The man says in what sounds like a Capitillian accent.

"Sorry," She responds, quite embarrassed. If I had a boyfriend, I would never kiss him in public. Lorry puts on a brave face when her blood is taken, and waits for me to check in, so we can walk to our section together.

"Name?" The man asks, hoping I cooperate better than my best friend.

"Kia Davidson," I say shyly as he flips towards the front of his book.

"Dominant Hand?" A needle is already in his hand and I brace myself.

"Right," I say, preparing for the prick. It's not horrible, but I'm glad it's over with. Lorry and I walk to the section together than contains the fifteen-year-old girls.

As we walk to our section, surrounded by so many other girls our age, all of a sudden the weight of the Reaping hits me. I stop dead in my tracks, taking a second to breathe. Today could be the beginning of the end for me or Lorry.

"Are you alright?" Lorry asks, a bit confused as to why I stopped walking.

"No," I respond very matter-of-factly.

"It's okay to feel that way, it'll all be over soon," She says sweetly. She grabs my hand and we find a space in our section.

 _Which innocent kids from Six will be given a death sentence?_

* * *

 **Rollo Grumman, 18**

 **District Six Male**

Loyalty is the type of thing I feel is always rewarded at the end of it all.

I stayed loyal to the Capitol during the Rebellion, despite many of the people around me choosing to make an attempt at overthrowing the Capitol. I didn't support them in an over the top way, I still respect and understand other people's reason for rebelling. Life in Panem isn't the greatest, but it could definitely be worse. We have enough food to eat and a roof over our heads, and that's a lot more than many others in our nation get to experience. So many rebellious citizens lost everything, another key reason in why I always thought it was better to stay loyal and not cause any trouble.

My mother and brother were not as loyal to the Capitol as the rest of my family was. They were executed by Peacekeepers for being far too rebellious. My twin brother, father and I don't talk about them, considering they tried to kill us and all because we didn't support the Rebellion. The past few years our household had an awkward dynamic. The constant screams and arguments only ended once Mom and Gustav were killed. We were all so close before the Rebellion began, I wish it could've gone back to that. If they had just stayed loyal to the Capitol, they would still be alive and we would all be one big happy family once again. Being loyal never causes any commotion, it's always the rebels that are the problem.

Since I'm the only one in a room I usually have to share, I take advantage of this time and change into my Reaping Outfit. I've been training to be a hovercraft pilot, and I'm really passionate about it. I decide to wear my uniform, as I think it looks nice and is somewhat flattering. I have to duck down a bit to see my face in the mirror, it's one of the few problems I face from being so tall. Despite the many differences my family had with one another, the one thing we all shared was height. I fix my black hair, my dark eyes staring back at me. My twin brother Aksel and I look almost exactly alike, except for our eye color. His eyes are a handsome hazel, while my own are a dull deep brown.

I head into our kitchen, Aksel, Alexia, and my father are all already sitting at the table. Alexia has been a close friend of our family since we were babies, and when her parents died in a rebel attack during the Rebellion, my father wanted her to live with us instead of going to an orphange. She's always been like family to us, our fathers had been friends since their teenage years. I can see in my father's eyes how much he misses Mr. Hawker, and I think it made him become even more against the Rebellion. We all eat our breakfast rather quickly. Family meals are always used for eating first and conversations second in our household. Once everyone is finished eating, the conversation begins.

"How's training going?" My father asks the three of us. Becoming a hovercraft pilot has been an apsiration for all of us from the moment we knew they existed. This position is rather well-respected, and we are all truly blessed to have made it this far into the program. Dad was the one who inspired us all. He's even had the luxury of going to the Capitol to fly a hovercraft for them twice in his life.

"Really good. It's crazy how the next step for us is to be pilots," Aksel says. We've been trainees for the past two years, and once we turn nineteen we'll be able to get full-time jobs as pilots.

"I can't believe that in two months I could be a pilot," Alexia gets the chance before we do since she is two months older than us.

"I doubt I'll pass onto the next step this year," I say sadly. I have a job besides training, while Askel and Alexia do not. I work in the only nightclub in Six, just as a bouncer. It gets me some money to spend, and I surprisingly enjoy it.

"You never know," Alexia says. Her constant positivity really lights up the household. While I'm very good in training, I've always had the feeling that I'll have to stay behind an extra year. Most people are required to wait until twenty to be a pilot, but the three of us have always been at the top of our class. However, I've missed a few lessons due to my other job, and I'm worried that will be held against me during my final test. But just like Alexia, I try to hope for the best.

I walk to the Reaping with both Askel and Alexia, the three of us babbling nonsense the entire way there. None of us really know what to expect with these games, but we do understand that someone that gets Reaped today is not coming home, which is more likely than not going to be two people. None of us want to be chosen, we've all got bright futures ahead of us that we want the chance to live out.

Once we reach the front of a very crowded check-in line, a man is awaiting us in a white jacket far too clean to be from Six.

"Ladies first," I say to Alexia, who smiles and puts a strand of brown hair behind her ear. She gets her finger pricked, hugs my brother and I goodbye, and heads to her section. The girls and the boys stand on seperate sides. I let my brother go ahead of me, and he waits for me before leaving.

"Name?" The man asks me.

"Rollo Grumman," I respond. He looks relieved that my name is right below my brother's and he does not have to do any page turning.

"Dominant Hand?" Askel is left-handed, but I am not.

"Right," I say. Once I get pricked and my finger is placed, my brother and I head to our section together.

 _Will both of us get to live out our dreams?_

* * *

 **Cion Jarvis, 22**

 **District Six Escort**

The world is too cruel of a place to stay sober.

I've been addicted to morphine for the past two years, but it isn't really my fault. One night I was walking through an alley in the Capitol, and I was told that this would take away all the pain and sadness in my life. I couldn't resist, so I tried it once. I went without morphine for a week and I couldn't handle it, so I bought more and more to keep me satisfied for the weeks to come. At this point, I have something every single night. It's the type of thing that helps me forget how awful the world is, and it is my hope that some day everyone can experience this modification for a better life without so much death and suffering.

Now that I'm the official escort of District Six, I've started to bring this mission into the district. This morning, I gave lots of morphine to two peacekeepers giving them specific instructions to sell them secretly to citizens in Six willing to buy them. For as many years as possible, I am going to continue this so that I will be the hero of Six. As one of the most split districts after the Rebellion in Panem, I feel like the effects of the war is still huge on this district. Friends and families have many varying opinions on the war that has just occurred, but morphine would make everyone forget about the chaos going on around them. I'm living proof at how helpful morphine is in daily life.

Of course I sided with the Capitol during the rebellion, but I understand that both sides lost a lot. So many people lost someone they loved, and nobody deserves that. I figured it would be easier to persuade people in Six as opposed to people in the Capitol to try morphine, because us Capitolites tend to be too stubborn to do anything besides what we plan to. People in Six are far more likely to give this a try, so many of them are probably looking for a way out of these games. Personally, I hate the idea of innocent kids dying, I'm only here to make good money and to spread help to everyone in the form of this drug.

The nice thing about morphine is that it makes you forget about the people you've lost. I was in love. Two years ago, my girlfriend Krishna asked me to dinner, but I declined as I wasn't feeling that well. That evening, a burglar broke into her home. She was helpless, but when she threatened to tell the Peacekeepers what he was doing, she was shot by the burglar. I only know what happened due to surveillance cameras, and watching her die was the most painful thing I've ever had to watch. That's how I knew I could handle being an escort and watching the games - I've seen death once, so I can see it again.

My outfit for today is nothing much out of the ordinary from my usual wardrobe. My black leather jacket makes me feel safe, keeping the cold world from coming inside to me. I'm just wearing a simple white t-shirt under it, not caring enough to make the effort to dress up. I think I'd care more if I was still attractive, but now, I look awful. My tan skin, brown hair, and striking blue eyes used to get all of the girls that I wanted, until I met Krishna of course. The looks didn't fade until Krishna died. I miss her more than anything in the world, but once I'm able to get away from the world, it is as if she is with me once again.

Once I walk onto the stage, District Six immediately quiets down.

"Welcome to District Six's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" Mixed emotions are displayed on the faces of the crowd in front of me.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the transportation you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," This crowd doesn't look very reunited. In fact, they look more like the Rebellion caused them more problems, just like it did with me.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," I try to picture what girl will emerge from the crowd, but nothing comes to mind. I guess it will just end up being a surprise.

"Kia Davidson!" A confused looking girl steps out of the fifteen years old section, not seeming to be totally sure of what is going on. Maybe she's in her own special world just like I am. Would it be possible that my morphine has already started to spread?

"Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Kia?" The crowd is quiet, and the girl who was standing next to Kia looks distressed.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Kia did," I hope that the morphine has already gotten out. All I want to do is help these people experience a world with less pain.

"Rollo Grumman!" An extremely tall boy who looks just like the one standing next to him looks fairly indifferent in this situation. But I'm assuming that it's just an act. Nobody is sentenced to almost certain death and doesn't have an emotion about it.

Is there anyone who would like to volunteer in place of Rollo?" Nobody speaks, and these tributes are officially mine

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District Six's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," Though Kia looks short next to Rollo, she seems like a fairly tall girl for her age.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

 _When will the Districts no longer experience pain?_

* * *

 **Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the long wait on this chapter! The start of school was a tad chaotic, but now writing will be coming at a more regular pace! Only one more district to go!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	13. District 2 Reaping

Chapter 13: A Crazy Dream

* * *

 **Alyssa Stoneheart, 18**

 **District Two Female**

I wake up to a photograph of two pairs of hazel eyes staring back at me.

It's a picture of my father and I from two years ago, standing in our soldier uniforms with a tough look on each of our faces. We fought for the Capitol, knowing that there was no point in a rebellion when our nation was good enough beforehand. Now, those that decided to go against the people in power are facing their karma, and although this sounds rude, I'm okay with it. It would've been wrong to rebel in my opinion, since I've been taught to never bite the hand that feeds you. It's the Capitol that feeds all of us, and if the outlying districts are going to fight it, they will both figuratively and literally starve.

Today will be a new experience for all of us, the first of many Reapings. For me, it will be my first and last year eligible for the games, since you age out after eighteen years old. I put on a silky royal blue blouse and black leggings. The shirt is straight out of One, which happens to be only of the many things I own from that district. I brush my black hair and put on some shoes, more than ready for what today will bring. So many people in Two are nervous today, but I'm more excited than anything. I feel lucky to get the chance to be able to be involved in a Reaping. If I was a year older, I would never have this opportunity. My nineteenth birthday is coming up in a bit over a month, so I feel happy to have just made the cut.

I'm so glad I am eighteen years old, the optimal age to volunteer for these games. The Capitol sent a message to Two a few weeks ago about how being a tribute is the most honorable position in all of Panem, even more than a Peacekeeper, which is what I was training for. Of course, the person that wins this year will become practically royalty to this nation, and I plan on becoming that person. I already know quite a lot about killing people, as multiple rebels met their fate on account of me during the Rebellion. Outlasting twenty three others can't be that hard, especially when so many of them will be little kids who haven't been exposed to death before. I'm as ready as I'll ever be for this challenge, and I'm excited to see what comes from it.

I decided on volunteering because I am sure that someone who stayed loyal to the Capitol and fought on their side is more likely to win the games over a rebel who is the reason for all of this trouble. My family and I have been rewarded for my loyalty during the Rebellion, and now we never have to worry about money. My father was a respected leader and played a part in helping the Capitol win the war. Of course the Capitol would be on my side in the games, I fought for their rights! I think this will be a great oppurtunity, and I'm positive that I can come out on top. I can't wait to become the face of Panem after being an honorable tribute, and I loyal face I shall remain. They have done so much for me and I can't wait to win something else for them.

It's fairly early in the morning, and my parents are still asleep. They tend to be late rising since their bed is so large and comfortable. I go down the stairs and notice my little sister Jamison writing something down on a peace of paper while sitting on the couch.

"What are you writing, Jamison?" I ask, even though she jolts when she hears me speak. I don't think she heard me coming down the stairs.

"I'm coming up with ideas for my next poem. I'm making a list, but there isn't anything I've decided on just yet," She responds. She's a super intellectual girl, way smarter than I'll ever be despite being younger than I am.

"It'll come to you, it always does. I'm leaving for Stephanie's now, but I see you before I get on the train," Her eyes go slightly wide at the fact that I won't be here for a few weeks, I know we will miss eachother.

"Have fun," Jamison says, being a girl of few words unless they're on paper.

After making my way to my friend Stephanie's house, I walk to the Reaping with her and Alex. He is a year too old to be eligible for the Reaping, and is now a Peacekeeper. One evening Alex and I became far more than friends, but nothing else ever came of that. He would just be a distraction to me and my goals of becoming a Victor. Our walk is surprisingly quiet, which I think is just because it is finally setting in that I will be leaving Two for the games. At least I will be back from the games, dead or alive, before Alex is deployed to Eleven. It makes me sad that today could be the last day we are all together, but I don't plan on this being it.

Once we arrive at the Town Square, I feel a rush of adrenaline almost immediately. After saying goodbye to Alex, I walk with Stephanie to a rather short check-in line. I go before Stephanie to get my blood taken since I know she hates blood and gore. I'm sure she'll cause some sort of commotion when it's her turn.

"Name?" A woman with deep brown eyes asks me.

"Alyssa Stoneheart," I say confidently, hoping she will remember it in the weeks to come. She flips toward the end of her book to find my name.

"Dominant Hand?" She asks, looking bored. Wait until she sees who's volunteering in a few minutes.

"Right," I say, not flinching as my blood is taken. Stephanie is rather calm to my surprise when it is her turn and we head to the eighteen-yearold section.

 _Won't a Victor be so much more honorable than a tribute?_

* * *

 **Hercules Forge, 16**

 **District Two Male**

The rebels don't even deserve this pageant that they have been graced with.

After all of the chaos they've caused, now they get a chance at fame and glory? It's completely ridiculous. They shouldn't have the chance of life that the Hunger Games promise, they should all just die on the spot. They've done nothing but destroy our nation, and their worthless lives should end immediately. It makes me so angry that they could want anything more than the lives given to them by the Capitol, when they should feel lucky that they're even alive. I hate them all with every bone in my body, and if I could kill all of them I would. These people are insane.

My family supported the Capitol throughout the Rebellion, of course. But unfortunately my innocent mother payed the price just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was shopping for food by the Town Square when rebels decided to attack that area, killing her and a some other citizens of Two, almost all of which were Capitolites. My mother had never done a thing to deserve that horrible fate. They're the people that should die, not my mother that supported her nation through and through. I remember her funeral vividly, even her father was still alive when it happened. No parent should have to watch their child die, unless their child was rebellious. My mother was as far from that as possible.

The moment I heard about the Hunger Games I knew I wanted to volunteer. The Reapings are random, which means that it is not certain that a rebel could be Reaped. Unless, the Capitol incorporates some sort of bias into it. My goal is to make sure that all of the rebels that are Reaped come back home to their districts in a coffin. After all, that is the primary mission for the games. Someone rational will get the fame and glory that comes with Victory, and I would love to be that person. I think I would make a good Victor because as a famous face in Panem I would be sure to make any rebellious beliefs disappear. But no matter what beliefs go away, they can't make my mother come back.

I roll out of bed, fixing my dirty blonde hair. It's always bothered me that my hair color is called this considering I am wealthy and my hair is always clean. I change into a red collared shirt, leaving a few of the buttons unbuttoned. I put on tan khakis and boots, and rub any looks of sleepiness out of my grey eyes. I take my time getting ready, considering that our house is seconds away from the Town Square. It's where most of the biggest houses are, so it's no surprise that the wealthiest among Two live here. We've fallen into that group after being rewarded for our extreme loyalty to the Capitol. Once again, this is even more proof that supporting the Capitol is the best thing to do.

I go outside, hoping to get a last bit of working with weapons in before the games truly begin. I'm aware that the tributes have three days of training prior to the games, but this is the last time that I feel as though I won't be being watched. I know once I make it to the Capitol, all eyes will be on me as the favorite to win. I throw three knives into the base of a tree, all sinking into the trunk without a doubt. I repeat this process a few more times, feeling confident in my skills. Killing someone isn't going to be much harder than this, and I plan to kill every rebel in the arena. I wonder how many of their lives I will get to end. Once I kill all of the rebels I know my mother would be proud.

I go back inside and see my father getting ready for the Reaping. My father was recently appointed as the Mayor of District Two as a reward for his extreme loyalty to the Capitol. It's just the two of us in our home despite it being so large, as my brother Theseus has been deemed unwelcome in it. Now nineteen years old, he didn't show an extreme amount of support to the Capitol as much as my father and I, so he was kicked out. He's been working as a blacksmith for the past few years and lives with his instructor. It makes me angry that he was not as much of an extremist as the rest of us, as supporting the Capitol was clearly the only correct option during the Rebellion. I wonder how he'll react when he sees me kill all the rebels I want in the Games.

I head to the Reaping with my father, who has no idea about my plans for volunteering. I think he will be pleasantly surprised, since my riches that come with victory will make us the wealthiest family in Two without a doubt. The rebels in the arena will not stand a chance, as they'll be my main targets. I doubt anyone else in the games will have touched a weapon before, and since my skill with knives in impeccable, killing them will be like stealing candy from a baby. I'll make sure that Panem will enjoy every single treat.

I part ways with my father as we reach the Town Square - he goes on the stage while I wait in a check-in line. Once I make it to the front, a woman in a lavender sweater is waiting for me. I notice a tiny brown stain by her forearm, but it's so small I don't think anyone else realizes.

"Name?" She asks me, looking relieved that I am one of the last people to check in.

"Hercules Forge," I respond, watching her perk up at the sound of my name. The Forge family is known throughout Two since my father is an authority figure in it.

"Dominant Hand?" She asks, needle in hand.

"Right," I say as she pricks my right index finger. I can't wait to see the blood of the rebels shortly. I am directed to the sixteen-year-old male section as I wait for the first chapter of my story of Victory to begin.

 _Who am I going to get to kill?_

* * *

 **Pazima Fisher, 23**

 **District Two Escort**

I finally get to do something that my sister cannot.

My twin sister Krishna and I have been competing with each other since before we came out of the womb. She may have been born one minute early than me twenty three years ago, but that doesn't mean that she can beat me at everything. I've always been insecure about how my sister is better than me at specific things. Childish as it sounds, I hated that she was three inches taller than me and I can't stand being short. It's like no one takes you seriously, sort of like when you're the youngest. Despite the sixty second age difference, my parents always found Krishna more mature and I became sick of it.

Once she died fighting for our Capitol in the Rebellion, she was seem as the ultimate martyr by everyone in our family. I fought in the war as well, but Krishna is seen as having fought harder because the Rebellion cost my sister her life. But now, with the start of the Hunger Games, I have been given the chance to be something that she never could as it hadn't existed yet - a Capitol Escort. Hopefully now I will be known nationwide, and she will not get that chance. She was so rude to me all my life because she thought she was above me, and she was always my parents' favorite child. Since it was just the two of us, I guess that means they like me the least.

I know what it takes to survive in a life or death situation. Fighting in the war taught me everything I know, and if I survived that I can help my tributes survive as well. One thing I learned from the Rebellion is that you need people you can trust by your side during this type of thing, because if you try to go solo, nobody is going to want to save you when you're on death's door. I need to make sure both of the tributes that I am helping have good allies that will protect them during these games, or they'll be going back to Two in a coffin for sure. I was always slightly more extroverted than Krishna, and when we were both shot I was saved first because I was closer with the members from my unit, and that's why I'm still alive.

One of my tributes is going to win the Hunger Games. I've been given one of the strongest districts in Panem, and if and when they apply my knowledge in the games, I know he or she will come out on top. If they don't win, I don't know what I would do with myself. I'd be seen as an embarrassment to my parents and everyone I know. I'd rather be in Krishna's position and be dead than lose to these escorts who seem to be blubbering idiots. I do not lose. I didn't lose the Rebellion and I refuse to lose the Hunger Games. If my tributes let me down than they deserve to die, but I know that they will not do so.

I brush my curly blonde hair out of my eyes, wishing I had straightened it. I unzip my black leather jacket so that my red tube top will show. I wear a short black skirt with red stripes that go down the sides of it, and red high heels to go along with it. My purple eyeshadow compliments my blue eyes nicely. I always like my eyes better than Krishna's brown ones, it made me feel different.

As I strut onto the stage of District Two, I remind myself that this is one situation where I will never be compared to my twin sister.

"Welcome to District Two's Reaping of the First Annual Hunger Games!" Many of the teens and adults look as engaged and excited as I am. It gives me hope that my Victor is here.

"President Regis wanted me to thank all of you for the mansonry you provide to our nation. We are stronger than ever now that we are reunited as one," I wish I didn't have to follow a script, I just want to find out who my tributes will be. They better be strong enough to win.

"I will now select a name from the bowl to my left to see who our female tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage," Flying saucers are flying through my stomach. I want a strong and capable girl more than anything. This girl could be my Victor.

"Alpha-"

"I volunteer!" A girl with black hair screams from the eighteen-year-old section. She looks muscular and like she will make it far in the games. With my help, at least.

"How exciting! What's your name?" She struts up to the stage, smiling a confident smirk to me and then out to the audience. She seems like quite the contender.

"Alyssa Stoneheart," She looks ready for whatever the Hunger Games may be like. Maybe she already knows how to kill someone! That would be so exciting.

"Alright, now I'll select a name from the bowl to my right to see who our male tribute will be. If your name is called, please come to the stage, just as Alyssa did," If she was a couple years older and lived in the Capitol, I bet we would've been friends. She seems tough and competitive, just like I am.

"Ace-"

"I volunteer!" I can't believe I have two people who are ready and willing to kill. However, a gasp comes from the stage as the boy walks up. It's not from Alyssa, and there's only one more person on stage, Mayor Forge. I wonder how he knows this boy.

"Another one? What's your name?" This boy, just like the girl, looks like a strong contender. I can't believe my two tributes are so promising! He grabs the microphone from my hands.

"Hercules Forge," He replies confidently, I guess he's the mayor's son. However, he picked the wrong person to take the microphone from. He better not be this cocky in the games. Other than that, he too looks like he has potential.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you District Two's tributes in the First Annual Hunger Games! Please shake hands," The two oblige, and I feel as though I'm on Cloud Nine. I'll be on the edge of my seat to see which one wins.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

 _How did I get so lucky?_

* * *

 **I'VE FINALLY MADE IT THROUGH THE REAPINGS! To the Capitol we go! We've finally met all 24 tributes and their escorts. In the next chapter, we will see six of our versatile tributes say goodbye to their families and friends. Also, if you could, please cast a vote on the poll in my profile as to which overall District gave you the best first impression! Thank you guys for all sticking with this story!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	14. Goodbyes Part 1

Chapter 14: An Emotional Farewell

* * *

 **Colt Falcon, 13**

 **District Ten Male**

Why did it have to be me?

I wait alone in a room for my family to come say goodbye to me, and it will be goodbye forever. I don't really think I'd make it through the games, but I don't want to focus on death right now. I want to make the best of my last bit of time with Marybeth and my parents. There's no point in making our last conversation sad. I'd rather have them remember me as the happy boy I've always been, not a crying boy worried that he is going to die. It's well-known in Panem that you don't get long to say farewell to your loved ones, but I will be sure to make my time worth it. At least I'll go out with a bang.

When my family comes into the room, I can tell they are all trying to mask their sadness for me, and they seem to think I think they are not as upset as they are. I think they underestimate my ability to read them. My father is doing the best job of trying to remain calm.

"I'm proud of you no matter what Colt," Daddy says. My parents have always been so supportive of my even through all of my daily struggles. One would think they'd get annoyed at some point because it takes me a longer time to think than most, but it's never the case. They've been the best parents I could have ever asked for.

My mother and sister start to cry the moment my father spoke.

"I think it'll all be okay. Don't worry," I say, trying to console them. I only realize after I said it that I probably won't end up okay.

"I have an idea that I think could help you," Marybeth says through tears. I'm not surprised that she already came up with a plan. She's just that smart.

"What is it?" I ask. I've always looked to her for help.

"Find good people that will protect you. You're the most lovable person I've ever met, and if you have an ally it could save your life," She can barely finish the sentence without crying.

"That's a really good idea," Sometimes I don't know how we're related. She's so much smarter than me, but she's the best sister.

"I love you guys," I say to my family as I give them one last hug. My mother's sobs are making me cry too. I hear a chorus of goodbyes as they leave.

I feel like I can't sit still when I'm alone in this room, so I start to fidget. I touch the leather band around my arm, deciding it will be my token for the games. I remember hearing we're aloud to bring something from home, I wish I could bring Marybeth to help me but then she might die to, and I wouldn't want that. This leather band will have to do. I remember the day my father gave it to me quite well - it was a reward for being able to read a book with harder words than I was used to at age eight. It took me some time, but he was really proud of me for my hard work and he got me this gift. I hope I'll be able to have as much perserverance as I did that day when I'm in the arena.

 _Who will be able to help me?_

* * *

 **Kia Davidson, 15**

 **District Six Female**

It seems impossible that I was chosen out of all of the girls in Six.

Since we are the largest district, I had exponentionally smaller odds than the girls in a smaller place such as Twelve or Nine. I don't have enough information about the games to know whether or not I should be afraid, but I do not like the fact that I will end up dead by the end of this. I just hope my death is not painful. I know only one person makes it out of the games, but I can't imagine the Capitol broadcasting blood and gory deaths on television for our entire nation. Whatever the case may be, I don't want to be one of the first people dead, because this way I will be able to gage if my death will be painful or not.

My family bursts into the room and it becomes utter chaos. My mother is uncontrollably sobbing, which makes me begin to cry the moment I see her. I really don't think I can with the Hunger Games, so this is goodbye. I've always hated saying goodbye to people I've met. Saying hello seems to be so much easier, like the beginning of something. This is the end.

"Please come back!" Harley say to me. A sweet kid like him shouldn't have to deal with this. He's only eight years old after all.

"I'll try," I choke out.

"Please, try to win for me. I don't want you to die." Axle says, in a rare serious tone.

"I'll try," I say again.

"Kia, you've got to get away from the people that seem like the biggest threats. Once you do that, I think you will be able to do well. You're a very smart young woman, and I think your brain can take you far," my father says as he hugs me. My mother joins in, still crying. She puts a silver necklace around my neck. This is a family heirloom, given to my mother by her mother. I'm sure she wants me to bring it for my token in the Games, but it almost seems too pretty to be in an area surrounded by death. Regardless, I will bring it to remind me of my family.

"I love you all," I say quietly as they leave.

My friends come in next, and I appreciate their optimism that I notice right away. Lorry wears her heart on her sleeve, so I can tell how upset she is. She is still smiling so I won't be upset, she's a true friend.

"You can do it!" Lorry says. I'm expecting her to ramble on, but that is all she says. She's been so quiet today, but then again, everything about this day has been out of the ordinary.

"I'll try," I repeat, which seems to be the only words I can say today.

"Good luck," Lex says quietly, waving goodbye. He isn't affectionate with anyone but Lorry, so I wave back.

"Goodbye," I say to both of them, as the door shuts.

 _How am I supposed to deal with all of this at once?_

* * *

 **Cheyenne McKeel, 18**

 **District Ten Female**

I am going into a fight for my life.

I never thought I would be the girl from my district that was chosen, but here I am. I'm quite concerned at the fact that I only have a small chance of coming out alive, but living in Ten has taught me skills that will help me. I know how to prepare food quickly and dilligently, so at least I will not be going hungry in the Hunger Games. I'm sure I can prepare more than enough food for myself. I would love to have someone in the arena that I could count on, and since I'd be helping them have good food to eat, maybe they could help me learn how to fight. It's not like I can suddenly gain strength and athleticism in the short time before the games.

My parents are the first people to visit me. I can read it on their faces that they are distraught. They seem as if they are taking the news worse than I am. I'm especially close with my mother, and I can tell how broken she is by this. It's a family intuition that this may be the last time we are all together. My father has always been a rather pessimistic person, talking constantly of the days when I will run McKeel's Meats after my parents are gone and pass it on. That's why I find it so interesting that he is the one that seems to be the most positive.

"You have an education on preparing animals that we know can take you far. We love you, Cheyenne," he says. My parents give me a quick hug and they are gone.

Clay and Evie walk in next, both of them showing different ways of their sadness. Evie, like most people would be in her situation, is rather quiet. She is shy to start off with, but I think she's just at a loss for words. Clay, on the other hand, is trying to remain positive, like usual.

"You have to be optimistic! At least if you end up dead, you won't have to live in a place constantly smelling of manure!" My heart drops. I know he was just trying to be funny, but this really was not the time. Yes, Ten does smell like manure, but I'd rather be alive than dead. But I can't stay mad at him.

"Goodbye you two," I say as I hug them both and they are gone.

I hear a third knock at my door and a feeling of confused goes through my body. Who else would be coming to visit me? My parents and friends have already came and gone, and I doubt they'd be aloud to come back.

"Come in?" I say, the words coming out of my mouth as more of a question than a statement. Two Peacekeepers are at the door and my heart drops. Am I in trouble? I couldn't be, I've always followed the rules no matter how strict.

"We're just here to bring you to the train. Relax," One of the Peacekeepers says to me, almost mocking my fear.

 _Is everyone helping the Capitol this unkind?_

* * *

 **Amir, 14**

 **District Eleven Male**

I sit in a small room alone and in a panic.

I need to make it out of the Hunger Games somehow, otherwise Neta will have nobody. We're both pretty introverted people, and we're eachothers' only siblings and friends. I can't imagine one of us being without the other, but it's clearly going to happen for the next few weeks. It's either a few weeks or forever, both of which honestly feel the same. I've never spent more than a couple of hours without my sister, as we have done everything together for years. She's always been there to guide me, but I guess I'm going to be on my own now. After this next moment, I may never see her again.

My sister Neta comes in, tears streaming down her face and more worried than I've ever seen her before. She's always been good at hiding her emotions as if everything is fine, but I'm not like that. If I get angry, people are definitely going to know. Neta hugs me and tries to tell me something, but I can't make out what she's saying because she is crying so much.

"I hate this," I tell her. My life has been hard enough, but here comes yet another challenge.

"I know, but stay strong. I know you can do it," Neta says to me, finally calming down enough for me to understand her. It makes me upset to see her all worked up about this.

Neta reaches out of her pocket to give me a straw bracelet that is identical to the one that she is wearing. Its beige strings are weaved into some sort of complex braid that I have no idea how it was done. Neta's hair is in cornrows, that she somehow did for herself, so I know she's a talented braider and I don't doubt that she made this. She's always had nimble fingers. I want to bring this bracelet into the games with me, hopefully it will give me all of her physical and mental strength. I heard we're allowed to bring something as our token for the Games, and since I don't have many possessions I'm glad I'll be able to have something to remind me of my sister.

"Just so you know, I didn't make these bracelets," Neta says to me. At first I'm confused - we aren't friendly enough for someone to give this as a gift, and we certainly don't have the money to be buying anything other than the bare necesities.

"Then who did?" I ask, completely bewildered. Why is she even giving this to me if she didn't make it in the first place? Wasn't this token supposed to remind me of her?

"Mom made them for us a few days before she left. She and Dad were potato sack weavers, putting potatoes in them so they could get to the Capitol safely. She told me to give it to you when you were ready," tears well up in my eyes, and I finally feel connected to them.

"Thank you," I say, hugging Neta tighter than ever.

 _But will I ever get to thank my parents?_

* * *

 **Adair Klayshon, 15**

 **District 5 Female**

I feel well-prepared and confident, just as I should.

Volunteering was definitely the right decision and I'm glad I seized this oppurtunity. I feel ready for the Hunger Games and that I have a good shot at Victory. It's obvious that winning isn't certain, but I am sure my odds will be very high. Though nothing is set in stone, I like to imagine that my life in Five after winning would be extravagant and exciting. I'm surprised that others didn't jump at this chance to better their lives like I did, but maybe I'll be able to set an example for future years of the Hunger Games. I've always wanted to inspire someone, and now as a tribute my possibilities are endless.

The first person that visits me is not a biological family member, but rather one of love. Noah and the rest of the Maylor family moved to Five with us from Two, so we've grown up together. He's the same age as Steal, but he's equally close with both my brother and I. Our fathers are very close friends and they work together, and since our mothers both died when we were young, we have a lot in common in terms of our home lives.

"Just be careful, Okay?" Noah says as he hugs me tightly. It seems like he wants to say something more but he doesn't.

"Yeah," I say, making eye contact with his green eyes for the last time in what will certainly be a while.

My brother and father enter the room shortly after Noah leaves, and their calm presences make me feel even more sure than ever that I can do this.

"You've got this in the bag," Steal says, almost laughing. He doesn't seem worried at all, he knows how capable I am of this and I'm glad he does. I was worried he would get all protective and I'm extremely happy that he did.

"I know," I say, giggling after I realize how conceited it sounds. I'm not a cocky person, but I believe there's nothing wrong in being confident.

"Take care of yourself," my Father says to me, with something that looks like worry in his eyes, and now is not the time for that.

"You too," I say to him, as he's probably more nervous than I am. After two quick hugs, they leave the room.

After the door shuts, the room goes silent. I look down at my Sapphire necklace that I've had since I was a little girl. Blue has always been a lucky color for me, so I'm taking the necklace as my token. When I was a toddler, I vivdly remember wearing a baby blue shirt the first day I moved to Five. My life here has been pretty lucky cosidering I have been able to learn how to defend myself and now have this opportunity for fame and fortune. Though the stone is extremely small, it still has a lot of meaning in my life. Similarly, I may be small, but it could be a fatal mistake to count me out of the games.

 _But could anyone be that stupid?_

* * *

 **Della Akuna, 15**

 **District Three Female**

I'm still flabbergasted that I was Reaped.

Never did I think I would be the chosen girl from Three, especially since my father is one of the gamemakers! If I were to take an educated guess, I would think that I will die in the games. I have no experience with any type of weaponry. The closest thing I've ever touched to anything of the sort is a kitchen knife! The only thing I have going for me is my intuition. My intelligence most likely ranks higher than those in others districts, as it is know throughout Panem that Three is the wisest district. I think my mind will be a strong asset for me in the games, but I'm not sure that it will be enough.

As my family members come in, I can tell they are all trying to remain calm. However, the moment I make eye contact with my mother she begins to cry uncontrollably.

"How is this even possible?" She asks rhetorically. I think my parents may be more surprised that I was picked than I am.

"It's going to be okay. Della, I know you may not be the strongest physically, but you've got a brain that can take you to the end," my father says to me, hugging me tightly. I know he can't tell me anything about the games, but maybe he'd be able to help me in the games somehow, considering he will be helping out with it in the Capitol.

"I'm going to miss you," my sister says to me. Maeve is trying as hard as she can not to cry.

"I'll miss you all," I say to my family one last time before they leave.

Kyla is the next person to come say goodbye to me, and I am extremely hurt at Zane's absence.

"Where's Zane?" I ask her. I feel badly that we're spending time on him when this could be my last moments with Kyla, but I need to know.

"I don't know, maybe he had to use the restroom or something?" Kyla says, it's clear she has no idea where she is.

"And he couldn't have waited five more minutes to say goodbye to his so-called friend?" I can feel tears welling up in my eyes. I cannot believe I trusted him for so long.

"I guess not. I'm really sorry," Kyla says to me, feeling guilty even though it's not her fault.

"I'm just happy that you came," I say, not wanting to leaving Kyla upset.

"Me too. We're friends 'till the end," she says, hugging me one last time before she leaves.

As soon as Kyla leaves the room, I begin to cry uncontrollably. All my life I have had trust issues with anyone I meet, and I can't believe I ever let Zane in. I take out my pocket mirror I got for my thirteenth birthday to make sure my eyes aren't too red from crying. On the contrary, it looks like any camera could pick up the redness around my eyes and people may think I'm weak. But at this point, I don't care. After all of the memories I've made with him, he never was my friend.

 _Why did I ever let him in?_

* * *

 **Hi everyone! I am SO SORRY I have not updated in so long! However, I will always be here, no matter how slow the updates! I hope you enjoyed hearing from Della, Adair, Kia, Cheyenne, Colt, and Amir! Also, a friendly reminder to vote on the poll from the Reapings in my profile! Lastly and most importantly, I hope everyone stays safe during this chaotic pandemic.**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


	15. Goodbyes Part 2

Chapter 15: A Meaningful Motive

* * *

 **Rocher Russe, 15**

 **District One Male**

I don't know if I'll ever be back here again.

My life has never taken me outside of One, and I wonder what the rest of the world is like. But at the same time, I do not want to leave. I have a one in twenty-four chance of coming home, which makes it highly unlikely. I still plan to try as hard as I can in the Hunger Games, but no matter what I do it might not be enough. It's going to be scary knowing that my life is on the line. The bombing was so sudden that my family and I had no time to realize that we were in danger. I know going into this that one mistake could result in my death, so I've got to make good decisions to stay alive.

Orchid and Citrine come into the room to say goodbye to me. Even though I can't hear them, I can see how upset they are. Citrine reaches into the pocket of his jacket to offer me an apple, but I tell him I'm not hungry. This morning's meal was the best hot dog and lollipop I've ever had, and I'd rather him have it than me.

"It's okay, I'm okay," I say to them, because I can see how bad they both feel. Orchid has takes out a book from the small backpack she carries around.

"Do you want a page for your token?" Are what her lips read. I've got something far more exciting than a page of a book.

"No thanks," I say politely. Orchid loves her books too much to lose a page. Plus, she rented it from the small library we have.

"Rocher, we want you to know how many people love you and wanted to come in and see you. So many of our friends were lined up at the door, but the Peacekeepers would only let us, your closest friends, in. Everyone sends their love and wishes you the best of luck. Especially Zales, who was going to come in with us but he had to get back to the fruit stand," I smile at the feeling of having my true family here. We might not be blood-related but we are just as close. Zales has saved our lives multiple times when we needed food, and since this was the only time he could've been Reaped, I'm glad he's safe.

I sign _I love you guys_ to Citrine and Orchid, who sign the same sentence back to me. It's one of the most meaningful things a person can say, and it's so much more meaningful to me seeing my friends sign it. They leave the room and I am thankful for their friendship through the years - it's honestly kept me alive.

I look down at my beautiful black goldstones, which is what I'm bringing to the games. Despite being hungry so often it's the only thing I've ever stolen. It's only a simple string that I wear as a bracelet, but I was so drawn to them that I just had to have them. If the Peacekeepers ever found out, I could've been hurt or killed.

 _Is it a possibility that I could be drawn to something this life-threatening in the games?_

* * *

 **Athena Garcia, 17**

 **District Four Female**

I had no idea that I would end up being the person that was Reaped.

I have lived a priveleged life compared to most other kids in Four, with no hardships or major problems in my life. I never got the chance to meet my father but other than that my life has so far been ideal. I have great family and friends, but I now have to leave it all behind, not knowing if I'll be able to come back to them. This is a very stressful situation and I have no idea how to handle it. It's not even the type of thing someone could help me with - nobody besides the other twenty three tributes has ever had this experience before. This is something new and scary for everyone.

My mother comes into the room, and I'm surprised to see only her. I've been so fortunate to have extended family members, considering that almost nobody in the Districts has any that they're in close contanct with like I am. I hug my mother tightly, actually happy that it is only her and I so that we can have a special moment together. If the others were all brought in, it would be too overwhelming for me.

"I'm so sorry honey," my mother says to me through tears. I hate that I'm making her so upset. Like most teenage girls and their mothers the two of us fight occasionally but I wouldn't trade her for anyone.

"I love you Mom," I respond, and with that our short and sweet goodbye is over.

Murdoch, Coraline, and Glan enter the room next, Coraline in tears and the boys rather serious. Coraline is hugging me and murmuring something I cannot understand.

"Make sure when you're in the games you stay alert. You never know what's going to happen, so ally with people you trust to keep watch over you when you're sleeping," Glan tells me. Being the poorest of the group, he has always known the most about survival.

"I'll try my best," I tell him, hoping to find good people I can trust.

"Make sure not to trust the wrong people tough. I don't want you to get hurt because you were too trusting," Murdoch says. I hug him tightly, and the rest of the group joins in.

"Bye guys," I say quietly as I watch them leave.

I sit down in one of the chairs within the room and begin to twiddle with my token. Before he died, my father had been a great fisherman here in Four, and my mother had saved his favorite line while he was at war. When he came back in a coffin, she had kept this tucked away until she gave birth to me a few months later. It's been my good luck charm for as long as I can remember. When I have it near me, which is quite often, it's like my father is watching over me. It's a nice feeling knowing he is there for me emotionally, and that it's more important than being physically there.

 _Will his presence be enough to save me?_

* * *

 **Hercules Forge, 16**

 **District Two Male**

I cannot wait to become a hero to Panem.

Becoming the First Victor of the Hunger Games is something that I will be known as forever. I hope to inspire others to enter the games so that they can kill even more of the worthless rebels in the future. I want to become an influential household name, and someone whose legacy is remember long after they pass on. I know the games will last forever as a punishment to the rebels, and I hope that others like me will get the oppurtunity to take their lives, just as they took the life of my mother. This is going to be the chance of a lifetime, and I think I've got this in the bag.

My father comes into the room and he is fuming. I had never told him that I was going to volunteer, I wanted it to be an exciting surprise to have a son that can win the games. Plus, I didn't want him to stop me from having this great opportunity.

"Why on Earth would you do that, Hercules?" He says, his face red with anger.

"I just wanted to kill some of those rebels, the people that killed Mom," it makes me so upset that they get to live and she doesn't, she was loyal to a fault and always followed every rule, it's so unfair that she was killed because of those idiots.

"This is the worst decision you have ever made. You're putting you're life on the line to kill teens that most likely had no direct part in killing your mother," I don't think of the rebels as individuals, but more as a large group of problematic people.

"It's fine. When I come home victorious we'll be even richer than we already are!" My father has a confused and afraid look in his eyes.

"How do you know you're the person that's going to come out alive? Twenty four of you are going in and I'm sure everyone will be motivated to live," I see a face of uncertainty and I don't understand why. It's almost as if my father thinks that I don't have a guaranteed Victory. It's beginning to annoy me.

"I'll win the Hunger Games and I'm absolutely sure of it," I respond to him confidently. I know I can do this.

"We'll see about that," my father says as he shuts the door, leaving me alone.

I take my mother's dog tags from the Rebellion out from where I had tucked them in my shirt. She was an honorable soldier in the Rebellion, but she didn't deserve to die. She was of high ranking, and it was a sad moment for District Two when we found out that she had died. She was a natural born-leader, just like my father still is, but she wasn't present witness the Capitol's victory, which I know she would've loved. I hope to make her proud by killing as many rebels as I can in the games.

 _But why doesn't my father believe that I'll win so easily?_

* * *

 **Corduroy Denim Poplin, 12**

 **District Eight Male**

For once in my life, my mind is empty of thought.

I have no real survival experience or physical strength, the only sure thing I know about the games is that I am going in with Eyelet. Normally when I'm involved in a new situation I assess the things that I can do well and anything that I can control. However, there's practically nothing in either area. There's nothing that I can do to change my fate and that's a thought I cannot wrap my mind around. I don't think I'll make it very far in the games but for now I am trying to tune that out. It's impossible for me to comprehend that my life could end so early.

My sister comes in and it's clear she needs to make our goodbye short if she wants to have time to talk to both Eyelet and I.

"You are the best baby brother," she says, trying to savor our what will probably be our last moment together. She runs out the door and rushes to her girlfriend.

My parents walk into the room next, immediately mushing me into the middle of a group hug. I've never liked any sort of touching or affection, nor tight spaces. I'm uncomfortable but I know they have the best intentions.

"As long as you listen to Eisley, you'll be okay. Don't give up and be brave. We love you," I avoid their eye contact because I'm worried I will cry.

"I love you both too," I say, wishing I could spend more time with them before I go.

Taylor comes in last, and she is trying to remain calm but tears are spilling out of her eyes. We have always been eachothers' only friends, and we're both quite the introverts. We always felt comfortable around one another, and that's a rarity for me to feel like someone understands me. We both just look at one another awkwardly, not really knowing what we're supposed to be doing. Taylor kisses me on the cheek and runs out of the room sobbing. I feel horribly that she is so shaken up about it, but that seems to be the effect that the Hunger Games have on everyone. I just wish I felt like I had a better chance at coming home.

I now sit alone in the room, having nothing else to occupy my mind besides playing with my bracelet. My mom had made it for me when I was younger. It has many different fabrics, all various shades of blue and green. I don't know how she was able to weave it altogether into one bracelet, considering that they all have such different textures, but she did. I want to get back to see Chenille, Taylor, and my parents so badly, however I don't think it's very likely to happen. I think today I will be taking my last breaths in District Eight.

 _Is this the beginning of the end?_

* * *

 **Griffin Hatchet, 17**

 **District Nine Male**

For once in my life I feel completely confident that I did the right thing.

I will never forgive myself for killing Rayden Den, and I can barely live with myself from that. I know for a fact that I would not have been able to live with myself if I let his son go into the games and die too. As someone older than him and also stronger I knew that I would have a better chance of making it out alive than the twelve-year-old boy. However, I don't really feel like I deserve to be the one person that lives. I would rather see it be a sweet and innocent child who had never taken part in the horrors of death. I'm unsure if murderers even deserve to live in this world, people like me deserve a taste of their own medicine.

My mother along with Alder, Misty and Fable all come in to say goodbye to me for what may be the last time. Poor Misty and Fable are to young to understand what I'm going into and what I'd have to do to survive. I can see how distraught my mother is, and I feel badly. However, I think I'd feel worse is Ames died than she would if I did.

"Please try your best to stay alive, I can't lose you too," my mother says to me. She had to deal with so much when my father passed away, and I don't want to put her through any more pain.

"I will," I say sadly. I notice Alder break into tears, but they're angry ones and not sad ones.

"How could you do this to us? You have to come home!" She says.

"I'll do everything I can," I respond, and after a quick hug my sisters and mother are gone.

I figured that after my family's departure I would be heading out, since I'm very closed off and don't have any friends. I'm shocked to hear a knock at the door. Who else could be visiting me?

The young boy who I recognize as Ames Den walks into the room, tears in his eyes and looking very grateful.

"I don't know who you are or why you volunteered for me, but thank you. I want you to have this as your token, it was once my Dad's," This poor boy has no idea that I am the reason his father is dead.

"Thank you," I say to Ames as he hands me a leather bracelet with the name _DEN_ engraved on it. It scares me to know I'm wearing something from the person I killed, but at the same time it's oddly comforting. It reminds me that I did something kind for the Den family by volunteering, and I am happy that I made this choice.

"No, thank you. You saved my life," Ames says to me, before leaving the room as quietly as he came in.

 _Would he still be thanking me if he knew what I did?_

* * *

 **Evelyn Harewood, 16**

 **District Twelve Female**

It's a strange feeling to know that my life is at risk.

Although I do have some knowledge about weapons from my parents when they became soldiers in the rebellion, no amount would ever be enough to secure a Victory against twenty-three others. I'm sure that my brother would think that my chances are higher than I do, since I've never been a super confident person, but nothing is certain anymore. I wear my mother's wedding band on my finger, thinking of my parents and wishing they could help me now. It's not very comforting to think that it's a possibly that I join them in death in the near future. No matter how capable any person is, there is no sure thing when it comes to the Hunger Games.

Aunt Mae, Nate and Nellie come into the room first, all with very different reactions. Aunt Mae breaks into tears the moment she looks me in the eyes.

"Oh, you look so much like your mother," she says sadly, remembering the woman that her brother had married. She gives me a big hug and begins to cry even more. Nellie is far too young to understand how the games work, but she notices the sadness that fills the room and attaches herself onto my right leg. Nate is trying to stay calm for my sake, but I can tell he's upset. When he hugs me I can feel his arms shaking with fear for my life.

"It's going to be okay, just please protect them," I tell him softly as I begin to cry as well.

"Please come home Evelyn, I know you're capable of it," Nate says as they all walk out the door.

Ivy and Amelia come inside shortly after my family members leave, Ivy trying to stay calm and Amelia looking very shaken up.

"Bye Evelyn," Amelia says shakily. I feel upset that she's so worried, and I wish I could assure her that I could come home, but it's not that easy.

"Don't you dare give up at any point during the Hunger Games, if you believe in yourself I know that you can do this," Ivy says to me, holding my hands tightly.

"I promise to," I respond quietly, hugging them both.

The next person to visit me was someone who I was not expecting to see at all. Lucas, a boy I've had a crush on for a while from school, comes into the room shyly. We haven't talked much so I was surprised to see him.

"Hi," I say, trying to break the silence.

"Hey. I wanted to leave you with one more thought before you go. I've liked you for the past few months, as more than a friend. I really hope you can make it home, I truly think you can do it," Lucas says to me, looking antsy for a few seconds before I find the right words to say.

"I like you too, and I'm going to try as hard as I can," I say, slowly feeling the confidence inside of me grow, even if it's just by a small bit. I give him a hug and he is gone.

 _Am I more capable than I seem to think I am?_

* * *

 **Hi everybody! I hope you enjoyed this second segment of the goodbyes. I know the story is moving slowly, but it's important to me to capture each tribute's thoughts and feelings during every moment of the Games. I hope you enjoyed the point of views from Rocher, Hercules, Athena, Corduroy, Griffin, and Evelyn! Once again, for those of you that have not voted already I would appreciate you voting in the poll in my bio! I hope you're all doing well!**

 **Yours Truly,**

 **CuriousClove :)**


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